Recently retired Royal Marines Colonel Alistair Carns appointed Veterans Minister
Alistair Carns has been appointed as the new Veterans Minister – although he will not sit in Cabinet but instead run the Office for Veterans' Affairs with oversight from the Defence Secretary.
The former colonel in the Royal Marines, awarded the Military Cross for his actions in Afghanistan, quit the Armed Forces at the end of May after 24 years to stand in the general election on 4 July.
Posting on X, Mr Carns said he was "deeply honoured... to serve as the new Minister for Veterans Affairs".
"To our veterans, you have sacrificed so much for our nation, and stood and fought with courage, often in the face of the unimaginable, it is my privilege to now to stand for you," he said.
Help for Heroes CEO James Needham had expressed his disappointment that there was not a dedicated Cabinet-level veterans minister.
Until last week, Johnny Mercer, who lost his seat in the election to a former Royal Marine running for the Labour Party, attended Cabinet as Veterans Minister with his role shared between defence and the Cabinet Office.
In response to Mr Carns' post, many high-profile figures offered their congratulations – including Bear Grylls, who said: "Well done Royal!".
Speaking to Forces News before the election, Mr Carns 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.
"I want to serve at a local level, my constituency in Birmingham, Selly Oak, and then also influence change at the international level, as well."
Royal Navy veteran Andrew Bowie has been appointed as the shadow minister for veterans' affairs.
The Tory MP, who served for three years, took to X to express his delight at the appointment and to criticise the new Government's decision – at that point – not to appoint a dedicated veterans minister.
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