Alistair Carns: Labour’s ex-marine who ‘would be a nightmare’ for the Tories
He is the ex-special forces colonel talked of by some in Labour as the dark horse answer to the party’s leadership angst, even if Alistair Carns might not welcome all of the endorsements coming his way.“He’s one of the most capable individuals on the Labour benches and would be an absolute nightmare to face,” said one Conservative MP familiar with the abilities of the veterans minister, who was cast at the weekend in reports as a “decisive man of action”.Carns is a former Royal Marine commando and was later military adviser to three defence secretaries at the Ministry of Defence.He was tipped as a future chief of the defence staff prospect, and there was surprise when the Scot suddenly resigned to run as a Labour candidate, winning the safe seat of Birmingham Selly Oak in 2024.He was appointed minister for the armed forces in September 2025 and has earned praise for quiet stewardship of a portfolio also encompassing issues ranging from homeland defence to support for Ukraine.
Supporters present him as a man with credentials to take the fight to Reform UK in Labour heartlands.Yet the emergence of Carns as a whispered-of leadership contender – albeit a major outside bet in the shadow of big beasts such as Wes Streeting and Angela Rayner – also reflects not just the febrile atmosphere gripping the party, but the growing impatience and appetite for change among its 2024 intake.Many of the newly elected cohort who were once derided as “Starmtroopers” expected to toe the line are less than impressed with the notion of more senior party figures having a free pass.If Labour skips a generation opting for a fresh face such as Carns, it will be largely because of the 200-plus new MPs elected along with him in July 2024.“We’re not a monolithic group.
The Scottish Labour MPs are very much their own group for example and while a lot us worked in politics before some haven’t and those of us who were originally the long shots to win their seats are probably the most unpredictable,” said one of the cohort,“But it’s also true to say that people have found their voices,Rebelling on welfare changes was one thing, but there’s also a correlation between them and the assisted dying debate, when people were allowed to organise without getting into trouble, and got used to speaking their mind,”Many in the 2024 intake also see themselves as a group with relatively broader life experience then those who have come before them,As well as being more ethnically diverse, there is also more gender balance than before.
“It’s a broader group than previously and it really runs contrary to the Tory jibe that Labour lacks people with business experience,” added the same 2024 newcomer.“There are people who have worked in finance tech, the NHS and of course a significant number who were in the armed forces, so why shouldn’t someone like Al Carns have a chance?”The counterpoint – expressed by a fellow Labour MP who took office in a previous general election – is that although Carns has a strong backstory for those seeking to shore up Labour’s patriotic credentials, his instincts on bread-and-butter economic issues are more of an unknown.“He’s perfectly nice, but what is his thinking on all the major questions of the day when it comes to the country, whether its the NHS, childcare or climate?” said the MP.“In some ways he reflects the approach under the direction of Morgan McSweeney [Starmer’s recently departed chief of staff] to have candidates who could tick boxes at election time.‘He’s a soldier!’ But why should this mean he’s the solution to our problems?”The answer to this, responded a 2024 colleague, was that Starmer was now likely to remain as prime minister at least until after the coming elections in May and there could be time for a newcomer to grow in confidence, ability and profile.
“Why not Alistair – who has done very well with whatf he has been asked to do so far or someone different like Miatta Fahnbulleh [the Labour MP for Peckham]? If we are looking at two years’ time then there may be people we are not even talking about now.”
Super Bowl: Bad Bunny, the ads and everything but the football – as it happened
Well, I could not tell you a thing about that game – I’ve heard that it was a boring outcome for a boring match-up – but it does not matter: the real winner tonight was Bad Bunny, who delivered a raucous, intricate and wildly ambitious half-time show that exceeded already sky-high expectations. With the world watching and many in the US government actively rooting against him (you can guess who took to Truth Social already), the Puerto Rican artist born Benito Antonio Martínez Ocasio thoroughly stomped on the haters with an exuberant 13-minute show that both honored his roots and championed an expansive view of American unity.It’s hard to overstate how much pressure Bad Bunny was under, as the first all Spanish-language half-time performer at a time when the US government is profiling Spanish speakers for its brutal immigration enforcement campaign. But Benito made the whole affair feel light as a feather, from the sugar cane fields to the bodegas to the rollicking casita party to a full-on real wedding (and surprise duet with Latino pop trailblazer Ricky Martin). Truly, this set was exquisite
Perth festival 2026: Swan River bursts to life with a stunning trail of stories and light
From dazzling light installations to unexpected conversations on pop-up phones, Perth festival has opened with a timely celebration of culture and communityGet our weekend culture and lifestyle emailAs families gather for sunset at Perth’s Kings Park, a giant golden orb glows on the horizon, shooting ribbons of light into the night sky.“It looks like an upside down jellyfish!” a child shouts gleefully, gazing up at this mysterious beacon. Others watch from park benches or drift slowly around its base, as a gentle wash of sound spills from its centre. The work is called Karla Bidi, translating to “fire trail” in Noongar: a light and sound installation that draws on the ancient practice of lighting campfires along the Derbarl Yerrigan (Swan River), which marks the opening of this year’s Perth festival.Featuring 11 installations stretching from Mandoon (Guildford) to Walyalup (Fremantle), Karla Bidi lights a path between communities along the river – a trail of gathering places that recalls how these banks have always been a place for story and connection
Porky Pig and Daffy Duck: ‘Jacob Elordi! That hair! Those dreamboat eyes!’
Ducks typically live between five and 10 years, and pigs 10 to 20. You first appeared on screen in 1935 and 1937, which makes you 91 and 89, respectively. What’s your secret to your eternally youthful looks?Daffy Duck: Firtht of all, it’s very rude to comment on a duck’s age. Thecond of all, thank you for noticing how youthful I look. My thecret is very thimple – moisturise daily, stay hydrated and tell the artist who draws you to take out any wrinkles
The Guide #229: How an indie movie distributed by a lone gamer broke the US box office
Two very unusual films were released last weekend. One you will have absolutely heard of: Melania, the soft-focus hagiocumentary of the US first lady, which was plonked into thousands and thousands of often entirely empty cinemas across the globe by Amazon and Jeff Bezos in what is widely perceived as a favour-currier to the White House. Melania’s $7m takings in the US were marginally better than forecasted (and far ahead of the risible numbers for the film elsewhere) but, given the documentary’s vast cost, still represents a dramatic loss (especially if the rumour that Amazon paid for the film to be in some cinemas is true). Then again, this was a rare multimillion dollar film where the primary marker of success was probably not financial.The other unusual film released last weekend you are less likely to have heard of, even though it dwarfed Melania’s takings
My cultural awakening: Bach helped me survive sexual abuse as a child
For pianist James Rhodes, the composer’s music expressed feelings that he could not put into words – and kept helping him as his mental health suffered in adulthoodWhen I found a cassette tape of the Bach-Busoni Chaconne, aged seven, it’s how I imagine a kid would feel seeing Messi play football and thinking: I have to do that with my life. By then, I had already been sexually abused by a teacher for two years, and despite showing all the signs of trauma – night terrors, twitching, wetting the bed, constant stomach aches – I obediently kept his secret. To me, the world was a war zone of pain. I was a shy, awkward, lonely kid, but alone in my bedroom with that piece of music, I found a little bit of light that was just for me. Hearing it for the first time was almost a religious experience
Aacta awards 2026: horror film Bring Her Back and Jacob Elordi win big at Australian film and TV prizes
Bring Her Back has dominated at the 2026 Aacta (Australian Academy of Cinema and Television Arts) awards, winning 10 of 16 nominations, while Jacob Elordi has continued his recent awards buzz by taking home best lead actor for his performance in The Narrow Road to the Deep North.Bring Her Back, Danny and Michael Philippou’s horror-thriller about a sinister foster mother, emerged as the most awarded film of the night with 10 wins. This marks a major milestone for the Adelaide brothers, surpassing the eight awards they won for their 2024 global breakout, Talk to Me.Bring Her Back won best direction, best film, best leading actress in a film for Sally Hawkins and almost every technical category, including cinematography, editing, original score, sound, costume design, hair and makeup, and casting.Fresh from his Critics’ Choice Movie awards win for his portrayal of the Creature in Guillermo del Toro’s Frankenstein, Elordi won best lead actor in a drama for his portrayal of army surgeon Dorrigo Evans in the screen adaptation of Richard Flanagan’s Booker prize-winning novel The Narrow Road to the Deep North
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