Former Armed Forces Minister Al Carns Resigns Over "Unfit for Purpose" Troubles' Legacy Bill
Former armed forces minister Al Carns has publicly denounced the government's Troubles' legacy bill, labelling it "unfit for purpose." Carns confirmed his opposition to the legislation as a primary reason for his resignation from the government on Thursday.
In his resignation correspondence to Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer, Carns stated he "worked to fix the bill from the inside" but ultimately found it "remains unfit for purpose" and "risks failing the very veterans it claims to protect." He criticised the government's approach, noting that the "instinct that serious problems can be managed rather than faced runs through the Northern Ireland Legacy Bill."
Carns disclosed that specific changes he believed were necessary were not accepted, leaving him "out of room to argue this case honourably from inside government." He added, "A serving minister cannot ask fellow veterans to trust a process he no longer trusts himself."
A Northern Ireland Office (NIO) spokesperson countered, claiming the bill represents a "vital step in righting the wrongs of the flawed Legacy Act," which they asserted "left veterans exposed to a legal wild west." The NIO indicated the government would "shortly bring forward a substantial package of amendments to further bolster" protections for veterans, refuting "suggestions that veterans will be dragged through the courts."
TUV leader Jim Allister welcomed Carns's comments, stating the former minister "exposed what many veterans in Northern Ireland have been saying for years." Allister concurred with Carns's assessment that the proposed bill is "creating a hierarchy of truth in Northern Ireland."
The previous Conservative government introduced the 2023 Legacy Act, which offered conditional immunity for Troubles' perpetrators cooperating with a new body. The current Labour government has since introduced a new bill, with Members of Parliament having already voted to repeal the conditional immunity provision. The new framework includes a legacy commission, a dedicated legacy unit within An Garda Síochána, and specific protections for veterans.
