MP for Birmingham Selly Oak
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence) (Minister for the Armed Forces)
“A party-loyal Labour Co-op minister with a pro-union voting record and unusually low parliamentary attendance.”
Al Carns is the Labour Co-op MP for Birmingham Selly Oak, first elected in 2024. He has held ministerial roles in the Ministry of Defence, most recently as Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Minister for the Armed Forces) from September 2025, after previously serving as Minister for Veterans, and he sits on the Select Committee on the Armed Forces Bill from February 2026.
He shows full party loyalty with no rebel votes, but his attendance is well below the party average. He frequently votes in favour of workers’ rights protections and trade union powers, while opposing transgender rights and advocating against harsher prison sentences; his positions on Universal Credit and VAT are mixed, and he tends to vote against publicly owned railways.
Declared financial interests include land and property (within the UK or abroad) and overseas visits.
Generated 21 February 2026
How this MP participates in parliamentary votes. These numbers describe activity, not effectiveness.
How often this MP votes
Labour (Co-op) average: 34%
The percentage of parliamentary votes (divisions) this MP participated in. MPs may miss votes for legitimate reasons including ministerial duties, constituency work, or illness.
How often this MP votes with their party
Labour (Co-op) average: 99%
Estimated from voting record, not self-declared. This is a simplified model — real politics is more complex than a single axis.
3 positions
Select Committee on the Armed Forces Bill
Since Feb 2026
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence) (Minister for the Armed Forces)
Since Sept 2025
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence) (Minister for Veterans)
Jul 2024 - Sept 2025
Figures include only interests with declared monetary values from the Register of Members' Financial Interests. Some categories (e.g. hospitality, overseas visits) may not have monetary values recorded, so the total may not reflect all declared interests.
Railways Bill: Third Reading
AYERailways Bill
Railways Bill Remaining Stages: Amendment 148
NORailways Bill
Railways Bill Remaining Stages: Amendment 143
NORailways Bill
Railways Bill Remaining Stages: New Clause 1
NORailways Bill
Steel Industry (Nationalisation) Bill Committee: New Clause 8
NOSteel Industry (Nationalisation) Bill
Steel Industry (Nationalisation) Bill Committee: New Clause 2
NOSteel Industry (Nationalisation) Bill
Steel Industry (Nationalisation) Bill Committee: Amendment 12
NOSteel Industry (Nationalisation) Bill
Armed Forces Bill Committee: New Clause 13
NOArmed Forces Bill
Armed Forces Bill Committee: New Clause 6
NOArmed Forces Bill
Armed Forces Bill Committee: New Clause 5
NOArmed Forces Bill
Armed Forces Bill Committee: New Clause 2
NOArmed Forces Bill
Steel Industry (Nationalisation) Bill: Reasoned Amendment to Second Reading
NOSteel Industry (Nationalisation) Bill
King's Speech Motion for an Address
AYEKing's Speech Motion for an Address: amendment (p)
NOKing's Speech Motion for an Address: amendment (l)
NOThe percentage of votes where this MP voted the same way as the majority of their party. High loyalty is typical; most MPs vote with their party on most issues.
Rebel votes
Times this MP voted differently from the majority of their party. This can reflect independent judgement, but context matters — some rebel votes are on procedural matters, others on major policy.
