Al Carns defends SAS veterans against renewed Troubles investigations
Former Armed Forces minister Al Carns, a decorated ex-Special Forces officer, has defended SAS soldiers who served in Northern Ireland, arguing they should not be treated as "villains" or repeatedly investigated decades after the Troubles as part of efforts to rewrite history. He made the comments in a foreword to a Policy Exchange think-tank paper, published as Labour's Northern Ireland Troubles Bill—which would allow veterans to face legacy inquests and criminal investigations under human rights law—prepares to return to the House of Commons this autumn.
Carns, who resigned from Sir Keir Starmer's government over defence spending and the Troubles Bill, said every SAS use of lethal force was investigated at the time and that reopening the same cases under later legal standards was unfair, though he stressed no soldier should be above the law. The Bill would replace the Conservatives' Legacy Act 2023, scrapping conditional immunity in favour of a new body, the Independent Commission on Information Retrieval, to assess whether fresh evidence justifies reopening cases dating back to 1969. It has passed its first two Commons readings and is set for Committee stage, with the Special AS Regiment Association threatening legal action and the Government insisting the legislation offers veterans six new protections, including exemption from attending hearings in Northern Ireland.
In short
- Ex-minister Al Carns defends SAS veterans against Troubles-era prosecutions
- Labour's Troubles Bill returns to Commons this autumn amid veteran anger
- Bill scraps Tory immunity law, creates new evidence-review commission
Steelman: both sides, in good faith
The strongest fair case each way — we don't pick a winner.
The case for
Supporters of protecting veterans from renewed investigations argue that soldiers who acted under immense pressure should not face repeated proceedings decades later when their actions were investigated at the time, particularly under legal standards that have since changed. They say prolonged uncertainty can harm veterans and their families, while reopening cases risks judging past conduct without adequate regard for the conditions in which decisions were made; accountability should remain, but be fair and final.
The case against
Supporters of renewed investigations argue that past inquiries may not have been adequate or independent, and that later evidence or legal scrutiny can be necessary to establish what happened and provide answers to victims’ families. They say military service does not place anyone above the law, and that applying human rights standards helps ensure credible accountability; a process that assesses whether fresh evidence exists can balance that need with protection against unfounded cases.
Explained simply
The Troubles were a period of conflict in Northern Ireland, beginning in the late 1960s and lasting for about 30 years. British soldiers, including members of the SAS, served there, and some people were killed in military operations; questions about those deaths remain part of the wider effort to address the conflict’s legacy.
Al Carns is a former Armed Forces minister and former Special Forces officer. The debate concerns whether deaths investigated at the time should be examined again under later legal standards, and how to balance veterans’ rights with the pursuit of answers and accountability for families.
The proposed Troubles Bill would replace the 2023 Legacy Act and create a new body to consider whether fresh evidence warrants reopening cases dating from 1969. Its approach matters to veterans, families seeking information and justice, and communities affected by the Troubles.
Art Celebrity Culture Entertainment Government Politics World
Read the full article at the source →
Originally published by Daily Mail as “SAS soldiers are not the ‘villains’ of the Northern Ireland conflict and should not be persecuted by those seeking to rewrite history, says former Armed Forces minister”.