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Armed Forces Minister and the Troubles Bill procedure on 27 April

  • Last updated: Mon 27 April 2026 00:07
  • Created: Sun 26 April 2026 22:48
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With a significant procedural motion concerning the NI Troubles Bill expected on Monday (27 April), the picture is supposedly complicated by the expected absence of the Armed Forces Minister Al Carns, who is believed to be visiting troops engaged in defensive missions against Iran in the Gulf.

His absence from a key Commons moment raises questions in some minds about:

  • Ministerial ownership of the Bill
  • The internal balance being struck within government
  • The extent to which veterans’ concerns are shaping the final legislation

Carns became Minister for Veterans and People at the Ministry of Defence on 9 July 2024, shortly after being elected as the Labour MP for Birmingham Selly Oak in the 2024 General Election, and was appointed Minister for the Armed Forces in September 2025.

As an MoD minister, Carns would not in any event be expected to lead for the Government in Commons proceedings on a Northern Ireland Office Bill, though his presence on the front bench might have carried some political weight given his role as the Government’s principal veterans-facing minister.

Al Carns was alleged to have 'been on resignation watch' for much of last year over the decision to replace the 2023 legislation. He is also said to have been closely involved in the drafting of the new protections which have yet to be published. According to The Times,

Many veterans believe he remains ambivalent about the overall plans and has stopped short of endorsing them. He has previously described protecting veterans as his “red line.

As one would hope given his Royal Marines and SBS background and his roles to date in government, Carns is said to have been one of the most prominent voices within government on the impact of legacy processes on veterans, and the need for stronger safeguards against repeated or unjustified investigation.

Ultimately, as long as he remains in government Al Carns must - and surely does - accept collective responsibility for the outcome of this saga.

The very fact that he is a veteran and yes, a rather distinguished ex senior officer, means that there has been criticism on social media of his role in what some have seen as 'letting down the veteran community'.

Other service-veteran MPs have been subjected to similar criticism over their perceived stance on this legislation based, in at least one case to our knowledge, on misinformation and a profound misunderstanding of the process which, to be fair, has been no means straightforward.

We can only hope that Monday's Commons business will generate a little more light then heat.

See also: Continuing troubles with the 'Troubles Bill' (April 2026)

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SAS Regimental Association message to Labour MPs
As promised this is the SAS Regimental Assoc message to Labour MPs. Thanks to The Telegraph, 'SAS veterans urge MPs to kill off ‘unworkabl e’ Troubles bill', by Amy Gibbons.

Quote :
23rd April 2026 A Message to Labour MPs from the SAS Regimental Association


The Special Air Service Regimental Association welcomes Wednesday’s written statement by the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland and his evidence to the Joint Committee on Human Rights (JCHR), which exposed the extent to which the Troubles Bill is unfit for purpose.

As previously stated, we will defend our members and our interests with a robust legal challenge should the Government not change course. That would pit the SAS Regimental Association against the Government in Court, the optics of which would be catastrophic.

The delay demonstrates that the Bill is currently unworkable.

As you will be aware, serious concerns regarding the Bill have been shared by many interested parties including retired Generals, the Veterans Commissioners and veterans’ groups. Despite repeated assurances from Hilary Benn, we must emphasise that the Government’s current much vaunted “protections” do not actually safeguard veterans sufficiently.

The SAS Regimental Association made detailed proposals for amendments needed to achieve the required safeguards more than four months ago. It is still not clear whether the amendments will be adopted before Committee stage and no draft text has been shared with us as promised.

Special Forces veterans have no confidence that a suitably amended Bill will be ready early in the next session of Parliament.

Many others, including many of your colleagues in Parliament, have serious doubts about the Bills’ efficacy. It is time for the Government to recognise how flawed the Bill is and to rethink its strategy for dealing with the legacy of the Troubles, which currently uses veterans as pawns and emboldens the use of lawfare against Operation Banner veterans.

Last week’s Court of Appeal ruling in relation to Coagh illustrates the impact of this lawfare. Soldier B has been dragged through the Courts for six years in a case with no merit, which both the High Court and the Lady Chief Justice in the Court of Appeal threw out, criticising the misuse of public funds to pursue the case.

Soldiers who served in Northern Ireland came from all over the country and many veterans and current serving members are your constituents. We write more in sorrow than anger and ask, with the support of the other SF Associations, that on Monday you vote against carrying over the Bill or abstain. To do otherwise will risk prolonging not only the disgraceful persecution of veterans who deserve better from the State they served but also the suffering of the families of victims of terrorist violence.

The Bill and the continuing lawfare it will enable risks seriously undermining our national security when we are facing the most perilous times since the end of the Cold War.
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