Some Labour MPs have viewed the ex-commander as a possible future leadership candidate since arriving at Westminster — but his supporters have brought that timeline forward and insist he must be part of any contest which takes place this year, following a series of blows to Starmer’s authority.
The prime minister has said he is staying put after his health secretary, Wes Streeting, resigned, and longtime critic Burnham announced a bid to re-enter parliament to challenge him. More than 90 MPs have called for Starmer to set out a timeline to quit. While there is no leadership race currently underway, one is now more likely than it has been at any time under his premiership.
Burnham and Streeting have both signaled their intention to stand for the top job, but three parliamentary allies of Carns — granted anonymity to discuss sensitive matters — argued that any competition must not be restricted to the two front-runners.
One Labour MP backing Carns said he appealed to a “broad spectrum” within the party, and on some issues, “he’s further left than perhaps people might think.” They said he had gathered positive support among “tens” of MPs so far, which is particularly strong among the 2024 intake of new MPs. Carns, they said, is “keeping his options open.”
The same person said Carns “sees the military as a vehicle of social mobility” and argued he is placed to attract support from MPs in the places where Reform poses a threat to Labour — known as the Red Wall — as well as from its Scottish representatives. Carns is known to have good links with former Deputy Labour Leader Angela Rayner, and the pair have bonded over their shared experience of growing up in deprived circumstances.
A second MP said Carns wanted to talk about resilience, which was not just about defense policy, but “getting people back into a space where they can live comfortably and have a bit of spare money to enjoy their lives.”