𝓤𝓷𝓲𝓽𝓮𝓭 𝓝𝓮𝔀𝓼

Sir Keir Starmer is in great peril after a key ally, the leader of Scottish Labour, Anas Sarwar, called on him to quit earlier today. The Prime Minister appeared at a meeting of the Parliamentary Labour Party (PLP) this afternoon in a bid to save his premiership, as his potential successors are being discussed. Familiar names are being banded about, like Angela Rayner, Wes Streeting and Ed Miliband. However, each come with their own problems: Rayner has been embroiled in a scandal over £40,000 in unpaid tax, Streeting is tainted by contact with Peter Mandelson (he has denied having been a “close friend”) and Miliband was rejected by the electorate in 2015, and would probably struggle to garner enough votes in order to ensure Labour forms the next government in 2029.

Shabana Mahmood has also been mentioned also. However, she has become a firebrand of the Labour right, and may struggle to get enough support from those on the left of the party after taking a harder line on immigration in an effort to win over some Reform UK fans.

William Kedjanyi, Political Betting Analyst at Star Sports, mentioned another potential candidate for the Labour leadership.

He said: “Alistair Carns is one to keep an eye on too – he’s now 12/1 from 40/1 and the biggest mover from the past fortnight.

“There have been talks of Carns taking a role as caretaker – as an ex-military man, he may be the ideal solution in a time of crisis.”

Mr Carns, the MP for Birmingham Selly Oak, is the Minister for Veterans.

The former Royal Marine attained the rank of colonel and was selected to contest his seat after long-standing MP for the area Steve McCabe decided to step back from the role, The Express sister site BirminghamLive reported.

McCabe had been a Birmingham MP since 1997 – and Labour has held the seat of Selly Oak in every election since 1987.

This is Mr Carns’s first elected poltical post, having spent the majority of his career, 24 years, serving in the military.

The Guardian reported in December that some Labour MPs believe there could be a real prospect of Carns being a contender for the party leadership were the opportunity to arise.

This is because he was involved in politics before standing himself as a candidate as a former military adviser to three Conservative defence secretaries – Penny Mordaunt, Michael Fallon and Gavin Williamson.

His name was mentioned as a possible future leader around the time of the deputy leader contest in September, as his proponents began talking with colleagues about a possible run for the job.

But this failed to gain sufficient momentum, and some remain sceptical, thinking he is appearing too ambitious.

The Mail on Sunday has described Mr Carns as an “Action Man” whom Downing Street was trying to stop dethroning Sir Keir.

One Labour MP said anonymously: “There’s no evidence that being senior in the military translates to being any good at politics any more than being a top prosecutor.”

They added: “He is completely untested.”

Mr Carns was awarded the Military Cross for his service in Afghanistan and only left the marines weeks before the general election.

Speaking to Forces News before his election, he said: “I decided to come into politics because I think this is an extension of service – I think it’s a duty to serve and I wanted to serve a broader church.”

He added that he had a strong camaraderie with his former servicemen. Mr Carns said: “You never lose that from the military.

“The military is the most fantastic organisation when it comes to camaraderie, to unity and to collective spirit. And it won’t be lost when we go into politics. I had 24 years of experience in the military, every major campaign, loved my job in the military.

“I gave it up to come and deliver change for the Labour Party and that’s because I believe in Keir Starmer’s leadership and his stance on national security. It’s very, very important to me.”