Former Marine Emerges As Surprise Name In Race To Succeed Keir Starmer
Al Carns speaking to cadets, August 2025 | Alamy
4 min read
Armed forces minister Al Carns is being discussed as a wildcard candidate to succeed Keir Starmer.
Despite having only been an MP for a year and a half, Carns, a former Marine who goes by the nickname 'Action Man', is a growing topic of conversation among Labour backbenchers, as speculation over Starmer's future in Downing Street continues.
PoliticsHome understands that the Labour MP for Birmingham Selly Oak considered a bid to succeed Angela Rayner as deputy Labour leader when she resigned from cabinet over unpaid stamp duty in September. In the end, he backed Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson for the role, while also earning a promotion to the Ministry of Defence in the reshuffle.
Now, Labour MPs have told PoliticsHome that Carns has been sounding out support amid a growing feeling within the Parliamentary Labour Party (PLP) that it is when, not if, the Prime Minister faces a challenge to his leadership.
“He [Carns] is the most extraordinary man and would be the most impressive leader this country has ever had”, said one particularly supportive Labour MP.
Rayner and Health Secretary Wes Streeting are widely seen as the two frontrunners to succeed Starmer should he be forced out of Downing Street, and both already have significant amounts of support in the PLP.
Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood, Secretary of State for Energy and Net Zero Ed Miliband and former cabinet minister Louise Haigh are also seen as potential candidates. As is Greater Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham, though he would need to first become an MP.
Under Labour leadership contest rules, Carns would need the formal backing of at least 20 per cent of Labour MPs, or just over 80, to reach the ballot. While he might be able to secure the support of fellow military veterans in the 2024 intake, converting wider respect into the dozens of votes required to contest a race would be a tall order for such an outside candidate like the Aberdeen-born colonel.
There are also question marks over his politics, with some of Carns' colleagues admitting that they do not know what he believes beyond more defence spending.
"He's not a politician and doesn't have a hinterland in the party," said one Labour MP. "The only scenario that I can see it happening is a wartime scenario where we are in hot water with Ukraine."
His lack of political experience would also likely work against him in a contest to run the country. "Too much, too soon," a different Labour MP told PoliticsHome.
That said, Labour backbenchers believe Downing Street already views Carns as a threat. They note that the former soldier has only done one government media round since becoming a minister in September. His most recent deployment by No 10 was to attack Nigel Farage after Reform UK's former leader in Wales, Nathan Gill, was imprisoned for taking pro-Russian bribes.
Carns' admirers argue that he has authority on national security and a level of authenticity that is well-suited to taking the fight to Farage.
The Midlands MP was raised by a single mother next to a council estate in northeast Scotland. He joined the Royal Marines aged 19 and went on to serve in every conflict Britain has engaged in over the past two decades. In 2011, he was awarded the Military Cross for his services in Afghanistan.
His military background would seemingly lend itself to the right of the Labour Party. “He’d be great as our first Conservative leader," one Labour backbencher joked.
However, one soft left Labour MP was enthusiastic about the idea of his candidacy, telling PoliticsHome: “I would support Al Carns. I like people to have made a life outside Parliament — a bit more real."
An admiring opposition MP added: “He would change the political landscape at the flick of a switch... The Labour Party are very lucky to have him."
While a serious tilt at No 10 might prove to be a stretch, Carns' backers believe he could use a leadership campaign to further climb the government ranks and secure a senior cabinet job in a future Labour administration. One said that, as deputy prime minister, he would project the UK's authority on the world stage at a time of international instability.
PoliticsHome has approached Carns for comment.
