Former Armed Forces minister Al Carns, a decorated ex-Special Forces officer, has called for an end to what he describes as the ongoing legal jeopardy facing Special Air Service (SAS) veterans linked to incidents during the Northern Ireland Troubles. Carns, who resigned from Sir Keir Starmer’s government over defence spending issues and objections to the proposed Northern Ireland Troubles Bill, warned against subjecting veterans to repeated investigations many years after the events occurred.
The Troubles Bill, introduced by the Labour Party, aims to replace the Conservative government’s Legacy Act 2023, which provided conditional immunity for those involved in Troubles-related offences. Unlike the Legacy Act, the new legislation removes certain legal protections and establishes the Independent Commission on Information Retrieval to investigate whether new evidence warrants reopening historical cases. It has already passed its first and second readings in the House of Commons and is scheduled to proceed to Committee stage.
Carns, who initially supported the Troubles Bill but later reversed his position, emphasized in a foreword to a recent Policy Exchange paper that all uses of lethal force by the SAS were investigated at the time and that those involved were subject to the law. He argued that while genuinely new and compelling evidence should be examined, prosecuting veterans decades later, simply due to changes in legal standards or procedures, is unfair. “No soldier should be above the law. Equally, no soldier should face endless legal jeopardy,” Carns stated, adding that accountability should not become perpetual investigation or punishment through process.
His stance has drawn support from veterans’ groups, including the Special Air Service Regiment Association, who have expressed concern about the impact of the legislation and have threatened legal action if their members’ interests are not adequately protected. However, some former senior military officers remain skeptical of Carns’ shift, given his earlier endorsement of the Bill.
The Northern Ireland Office argues the legislation will establish a fair and transparent system that allows victims’ families, including those of servicemen who never returned from service, to seek answers. The Government also asserts that the Troubles Bill provides six new protections for veterans—such as exemptions from attending legal hearings in Northern Ireland—that were not included under previous law.
A government spokesperson added that the legislation would introduce “effective and lawful protections” for veterans, amid ongoing debate about the balance between justice for victims and safeguarding those who served during the conflict. The issue remains highly contentious as Parliament prepares for further scrutiny of the Bill later this year.