An ex-Special Forces colonel tipped as a future prime minister has claimed almost £36,000 in taxpayer money for communications and PR services since he was elected in 2024 — more than all other ministers combined.
Al Carns, the Armed Forces minister who has been talked up as a possible candidate in any future Labour leadership race, has filmed a string of promotional videos showing off his constituency work, including one of himself in a pull-ups competition with a local firefighter.
The MP for Birmingham Selly Oak claimed £20,900 for communications and media expenses in 2024-25 and £14,900 in 2025-26, according to the Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority (Ipsa).
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Caption: FILE PHOTO: A Jet2 passenger plane is seen on the apron of Manchester Airport in Manchester, Britain, October 15, 2024. REUTERS/Phil Noble/File Photo
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TRAVEL
Higher air fares in Europe are ‘inevitable’
More expensive tickets for air passengers in Europe are “inevitable” due to the surging cost of jet fuel, the head of the International Air Transport Association, Willie Walsh, has said.
An unavoidable price hike
Looking to the future
Walsh told the BBC that airlines would not be able to absorb the extra costs of rising fuel prices over time.
Outgoing IAG chief Willie Walsh has criticised the Government’s rescue deal (Photo: Niall Carson/PA Wire)
German-owned Lufthansa are among the airlines that have cancelled flights (Photo: Michael Probst/AP)
Summer shortages
He added that there was still concern that the UK aviation industry could face fuel shortages over the the summer.
Disruption is inevitable
Even if the Strait of Hormuz reopened tomorrow, disruption may last into next year, he said.
Information on flights displayed on a screen at Tribhuvan International Airport after all evening flights to Sharjah, Doha, Dubai, Kuwait City, Abu Dhabi, and Dammam were cancelled following strikes on Iran. (Photo: Navesh Chitrakar/Reuters
What to expect
The UK and Europe typically rely on imports from the Middle East, so are now searching for alternatives.
Last week, the EU said there was no regulatory reason for US-grade jet fuel not to be used by European airlines.
The EU’s energy commissioner said there would not be serious short term issues.
But he could not rule out longer-term supply issues.
Walsh said there were still concerns for UK operators, but stressed there is no reason to panic.
An inescapable outcome
“There’s just no way airlines can absorb the additional costs they’re experiencing,” Walsh said.
He added: “Over time it’s inevitable that the high price of oil will be reflected in higher ticket prices”.
Flights could be cancelled due to rising jet fuel prices ((Photo: Craig Hastings/Moment RF/Getty Images)
Exclusive
2 min read
NEWS
Trump will struggle to restart the Iran war
Iran says it is ‘studying’ Tomahwak missiles recovered from the battlefield (Photo: Reuters)
The Iran war has depleted America’s weapons stockpile, leaving Donald Trump vulnerable and constraining his ability to resume hostilities, military analysts say.
The US is in short supply
Dwindling supplies
Most advanced and defensive munitions in the US arsenal were burned through in six weeks of high intensity warfare.
Caption: Smoke rises following an explosion in southern Lebanon, as seen from northern Israel, Tuesday, May 5, 2026. (AP Photo/Ariel Schalit)
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Copyright: Copyright 2026 The Associated Press. All rights reserved
Caption: WASHINGTON D.C., UNITED STATES – SEPTEMBER 11: US President Donald Trump attends a ceremony at the Pentagon marking the 24th anniversary of the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks in Washington D.C., United States, on September 11, 2025. (Photo by Yasin Ozturk/Anadolu via Getty Images)
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Trouble ahead
This could leave the Pentagon short in future conflicts, the Center for Strategic and International Studies found.
Iran remains strong
The majority of Iran’s missiles and launchers are believed to remain intact.
Iranian missiles along the Strait of Hormuz could threaten US warships and oil tankers (Photo: Majid Saeedi/Getty Images)
Concern in the US government
Trump has called the shaky ceasefire “unbelievably weak” and on “massive life support”, as negotiations have proved difficult.
Donald Trump will have a major part to play in people’s mortgage bills (Photo: Kevin Dietsch/Getty Images)
JD Vance is having to walk a fine line as he positions himself for a possible presidential run (Photo: Alyssa Pointer/Reuters)
Senior figures in the Trump administration, such as Vice President JD Vance, have reportedly raised serious concerns over weapons depletion.
Cheaper alternatives
The report showed a shift toward cheaper, more plentiful weaponry, requiring US bombers to be closer to their targets and take greater risk.
Democrat Senator Mark Kelly said that classified briefings had raised concerns about the US’s readiness for future conflicts. “It’s shocking how deep we have gone into these magazines,” he said.
How will this impact the war?
The depletion is likely to be a “factor” in whether Trump resumes bombing of Iran, said Mark Cancian, co-author of the study.
“I think it would be a factor because of concerns regarding future conflicts, particularly China and the Western Pacific,” he said.
WORLD
5 min read
Analysis
4 min read
One third of weight
lost after jabs is ‘from muscle and bones’
People using drugs such as Wegovy and Mounjaro are
losing weight from muscle and bones instead of fat, a study
has found.
Caption: EMBARGOED TO 0001 FRIDAY JANUARY 2
File photo dated 28/6/2025 of 5 mg Mounjaro KwikPen injections. Almost one in 10 people in Britain say they would buy weight-loss drugs from platforms such as Facebook and TikTok if they could not get a prescription from their doctor or pharmacy, a survey has found. It comes as health chiefs sounded the alarm over the risks associated with buying jabs on social media as pharmacists predict a surge in demand for the medication in the new year. Issue date: Friday January 2, 2026. PA Photo. Photo credit should read: Peter Byrne/PA Wire
Photographer: Peter Byrne
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A clear difference
The study, published at the European Congress on Obesity, found that for people using exercise and diet control, muscle and bone loss accounted for 14 per cent of the weight they dropped.
Caption: A medicine distributor stores Mounjaro (tirzepatide) self-injecting GLP-1 prefilled pens and vials in a fridge at his office in Thane on March 20, 2026. A deluge of weight-loss drugs is set to transform the global fight against obesity as India prepares to unleash low-cost generic versions of injections like Ozempic after a key patent expired on March 20, 2026. (Photo by Indranil MUKHERJEE / AFP via Getty Images)
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Caption: EMBARGOED TO 2330 WEDNESDAY JANUARY 7
Picture posed by a model. File photo dated 03/03/14 of someone using a set of weighing scales. People on fat loss jabs need ongoing support, researchers have said, after a major study found they put all the weight back on much faster than traditional dieters. Researchers from the University of Oxford discovered that people on drugs including semaglutide (Wegovy) and tirzepatide (Mounjaro) lose weight during treatment but, on average, regain it within 20 months of stopping the jabs. Issue date: Wednesday January 7, 2026. PA Photo. Photo credit should read: Chris Radburn/PA Wire
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In comparison, the figure was 32 per cent for those using weight-loss jabs.
What can be done?
Women are less likely to do strength training than men, but their need is arguably higher (Photo: FatCamera/Getty Images/E+)
Copyright: Kaspi Creative Inc.
Strength is key
People using weight-loss jabs should do strength training, researchers said.
Risks for old age
If they don’t, they face a heightened risk of frailty, fractures and osteoporosis in later life.
Nurse and female senior patient with rollator on walk in autumn nature. Elderly care and home caregiver concept. – stock photo. (Photo: Getty)
Close up of male athlete gripping heavy green kettlebell during strength training exercise in cross training gym – stock photo. (Photo: Getty)
Time to head to the gym
“It is vital to incorporate structured exercise into all weight-loss approaches to help preserve that mass,” researchers said.
A closer look at what the study found
The study’s authors said that people who lost a significant amount of muscle were at a higher risk of regaining the weight after stopping the use of the drugs.
This is because muscle is “more metabolically active” than fat.
MONEY
3 min read
LIFESTYLE
5 min read
Caption: BRIGHTON, ENGLAND – MAY 13: Members of a search and rescue team are seen on Brighton beach on May 13, 2026 in Brighton, United Kingdom. Police say the bodies of three women have been recovered from the sea in Brighton, after emergency services received calls for concern over their welfare around 5:45 this morning. Police are working to identify the women and investigate the circumstances of their deaths. (Photo by Charlotte Coney/Getty Images)
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NEWS
Three young women found dead in the sea at Brighton beach
Three women whose bodies were recovered in the sea off Brighton beach are not believed to have attended a nightclub before entering the water.
It is believed the women may have entered the water from the beach near where they were found, before getting into difficulty in the early hours of Wednesday morning.
Sussex Police said that several lines of enquiry were still being explored.
What happened?
It is not yet clear how the women came to be in the water, but the coastguard has ended its search and is not looking for any others.
Emergency teams were first called at about 5.45am on Wednesday.
This was after a report of a single person in the water near Black Rocks car park in Madeira Drive, which goes along the beachfront.
Two more bodies were then recovered from the sea nearby.
The women were reportedly about 20 to 30 years old and were first seen at Brighton Palace Pier before drifting to the marina.
A tragedy for the city
It is probably the most devastating news that I’ve received in this city for a very long time. I can’t think of anything more tragic or more horrendous really.
Bella sankey, Brighton & Hove city council leader
Caption: Bella Sankey, leader of Brighton & Hove City Council (Photo: Supplied)
Photographer: Justine Desmond
Police call for information
Sankey said that the women had not yet been identified and their loved ones were still to be informed.
Sussex Police are exploring several lines of inquiry, and have asked anyone with information to get in touch.
OPINION
3 min read
ENVIRONMENT
Eagles to return to Exmoor despite farmer concerns
Caption: Undated handout photo issued by Ainsley Bennett showing a white-tailed eagle. Natural England has given the go-ahead for up to 60 white-tailed eagles to be released into the wild, at Wild Ken Hill in west Norfolk, in an attempt to bring back the birds to England. Issue date: Monday May 10, 2021. PA Photo. See PA story ENVIRONMENT Eagles. Photo credit should read: Ainsley Bennett/PA Wire
NOTE TO EDITORS: This handout photo may only be used in for editorial reporting purposes for the contemporaneous illustration of events, things or the people in the image or facts mentioned in the caption. Reuse of the picture may require further permission from the copyright holder.
Photographer: Ainsley Bennett
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Up to 20 young white-tailed eagles are to be released in Exmoor National Park in Devon and Somerset as the species continues its comeback from being pushed to extinction in much of the British Isles.
The species, which is the UK’s largest bird of prey, has already been successfully reintroduced in the Isle of Wight and Scotland despite concerns about conflicts with farming.
Return of raptor once common in England’s skies
Also known as “sea eagles” because of their ability to hunt over open water, the white-tailed eagle was widespread in southern England until the 1700s. But hunting led to them being wiped out in the region until a breeding programme began on the Isle of Wight. Some 45 birds have been released, with the first pair breeding successfully in 2023.
You can find both white-tailed sea eagles, the UK’s largest bird of prey, and golden eagles on the Isle of Mull,(Photo: Getty)
A white-tailed eagle, also known as a sea eagle, comes in to catch a fish thrown overboard from a wildlife viewing boat (Photo: Getty)
Farming fears ‘unfounded’
Concerns have previously been raised that the large eagles, whose wingspan can reach 8ft, would prey on livestock such as lambs. But a study on the Isle of Wight found the birds were instead targeting cuttlefish, rabbits, fish and other birds. It found there were “no conflicts” with farming.
A white-tailed eagle (Haliaeetus albicilla) takes wings in light snowfall from a field
(Getty Images)
Caption: A ewe with her newborn lambs during a bright morning in the village of Ladbroke in Warwickshire. March is expected to have a mild start, with brighter skies and temperatures set to reach 14C in some areas this week. Picture date: Sunday March 2, 2025. PA Photo. See PA story WEATHER Spring. Photo credit should read: JAcob King/PA Wire
Photographer: Jacob King
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Exmoor, which has long expanses of coastal woodland, is considered ideal habitat for white-tailed eagles. The national park authority has pledged support for farmers in adapting to the birds.
Today’s young people will look up one day and wonder why they’ve got nowhere to celebrate their birthday (Photo: Mike Kemp/In Pictures)
healthy eating
Popular sandwiches with highest salt content revealed
Shop-bought sandwiches can contain an “alarmingly high” amount of salt – with one in particular containing the equivalent of nearly five McDonald’s cheeseburgers or ten bacon rashers, a study has warned.
The review of 546 sandwiches sold by high street outlets named a smoked chicken club sandwich sold by Gail’s as the nation’s saltiest. The upmarket bakery’s lunch snack contained 6.88g of salt – enough to exceed the daily adult limit of 6g in a single meal.
What you need to know
Researchers warn there are “hidden health risks” in shop-bought sarnies.
Danish smorrebrod traditional open sandwich at Copenhagen food market store. Many sandwiches on display with seafood and meat, smoked salmon.
Photographer: Maridav/Getty Images
Nutrition is not as simple as calorie content. Oversimplifying it is dangerous
Action on Salt found nearly 50 per cent of sandwiches should carry a red “high salt” label. 32 contained half of the maximum daily salt intake.
A third of the offerings were also high in saturated fat, while 97 per cent failed to provide a third of daily recommended fibre.
Cooling rack filled with freshly baked artisanal breads in bakery – stock photo. (Photo: Getty)
Who were the worst culprits?
Several of the worst offenders are sold at Gail’s. Alongside its £8.90 club sandwich (6.88g), the upscale bakery also has a smoked salmon bagel (4.2g) and a ham and cheese croissant (2.6g), the saltiest croissant in the study. Paul’s rosette salami offering had 4.19g and Pret’s ham and grevé baguette had 3.85g.
Caption: Sandwiches are on display at a FamilyMart convenience store in Tokyo on May 13, 2026. (Photo by Yuichi YAMAZAKI / AFP via Getty Images)
Photographer: YUICHI YAMAZAKI
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The new shot comes hot on the heels of other health shots (Photo: Jose Sarmento Matos/Bloomberg via Getty Images)
A high salt intake is regarded as a particular health risk because of its association with high blood pressure. The condition has no symptoms and yet is responsible for around half of all heart attacks and strokes.
Pensions
What a Reform government would mean for your pension
The strong performance by Reform UK in last week’s local elections has intensified scrutiny of what a government led by Nigel Farage might mean for personal finances.
To date, the party has offered only a few detailed policies on pensions but the proposals nonetheless point to possible significant changes for retirees and savers.
What you need to know
Experts are arguing that the UK should make greater use of existing government data (Photo: Andrzej Rostek/Getty/iStockphoto)
Triple lock intact
Reform has said it will keep the guarantee that pensions will rise by the highest of inflation, wage growth or 2.5 per cent.
Public sector pensions
The same cannot be said for defined benefit schemes for teachers and NHS workers. Reform has said these pensions are too costly.
Hospital Hallway with Doctors, Nurses and Specialists in Hospital. Female and Male Physicians, Surgeons, Healthcare Officials Walk Together in Corridor with Their Back to Camera – stock photo. (Photo: Getty)
Resident doctors from the British Medical Association picket outside St Thomas’ Hospital in November. Another five-day strike began today. (Photo: Hiba Kola/Reuters)
Union clash looms
Reform has said it will close DB schemes to new entrants. Experts have warned this would anger unions.
Why it’s the economy that matters when it comes to pension pots
The biggest impact of any Reform government on pensions would lie less in specific policies and more in its general marshalling of the economy, according to experts. The party has said it will reboot growth by slashing red tape and businsess taxes, thereby boosting investment performance. But some observers warn simplistic solutions risk economic stability.
Caption: ROMFORD, ENGLAND – MAY 08: Reform UK leader Nigel Farage speaks with media outside Havering Town Hall following the 2026 local election results on May 08, 2026 in Romford, England. Voters went to the polls yesterday in the local elections across England. Results counted overnight show widespread losses for the Labour Party. Several key Labour councils have surrendered their majority as Reform UK and the Liberal Democrats make significant gains. (Photo by Dan Kitwood/Getty Images)
Photographer: Dan Kitwood
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PENSIONS AND RETIREMENT
5 min read
Caption: Maintenance engineer checking elevator doors in building
Photographer: Johner Images
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health
Are lifts still safe? Warning over UK’s obesity rates
The obesity epidemic means that many lifts are no longer big enough to transport people between floors, according to British researchers.
A study found that the maximum capacity of lifts in the UK and elsewhere in Europe has failed to keep pace with the increase in weight of the average person, raising concerns about safety and discrimination.
What you need to know
Caption: two groups of businessmen and businesswomen in glass elevators, general view, part of a series of photos with these elevators
Photographer: jean-marc payet
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Source: Moment RF
Lifts stuck in the past
The UK-based study found that despite weight growth and the obesity epidemic, the limit for elevators has not increased since about 2004.
Weighty concerns
In the 1970s, the average British man and woman weighed 75kg and 65kg, respectively. These figures now stand at 86kg and 73kg.
Caption: Close-up of a businessman using hotel elevator. Hand of a male pressing button on elevator panel in the hotel.
Photographer: Luis Alvarez
Provider: Getty Images
Source: Digital Vision
Capacity problems
Because lifts assume an average weight of 75kg, this means the amount of room is becoming limited and loads are getting heavier.
Super-sized society
Researchers said their findings suggested lift designs are now based on “flawed calculations” and could lead to issues like elevators cutting out if passengers exceed total weight limits. People with obesity may also feel stigmatised when entering lifts.
Caption: Close-up of unrecognizable black woman pushing button in elevator
Photographer: Grace Cary
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Source: Moment RF
Copyright: ? Grace Cary
Nearly two-thirds of adults in England are living with obesity or excessive weight (Photo: by Matt Cardy/Getty)
Lead researcher Professor Nick Finer warned of a need to “super-size” many aspects of daily life, including lifts, to make the workplace and other environments safe and suitable for people living with obesity. By 2040, as many as seven in 10 Britons are projected to be overweight or obese.
According to The i Paper‘s analysis, his spending on communications is the second highest of any MP in the country — and is far ahead of his ministerial colleagues at all levels of Government.
A former Royal Marine colonel who served multiple tours in Afghanistan, Carns is understood to have commanded the Special Boat Service — the Special Forces unit of the Royal Navy — though he has neither confirmed nor denied this.
He was awarded an OBE in 2022, and since entering Parliament, he has climbed Everest in five days without acclimatising on the mountain and undertaken reserve training with British Commando Forces in the Arctic.
Within Westminster, Carns’s profile is rising fast, and there has been increasing speculation over whether or not he could run for the Labour leadership if a race was triggered. He penned a 1,000-word piece for The New Statesman, published on Wednesday, titled: “How Labour can win again”. Carns argued that “too many people in this country work hard and still feel like they’re losing”.
“Working-class voters have not simply left Labour,” he wrote. “Many feel Labour stopped understanding their lives, and so they looked elsewhere.”
The former colonel has undertaken military training in the Arctic recently (Photo: MoD)
Reports in The Times previously suggested Carns has been in conversation with Angela Rayner about defence policy, with one ally touting him as a potential “defence or foreign [secretary]”.
The same paper reported on Thursday that Carns was planning to join the race should a contest begin. A parliamentary source told The Times: “”Al Carns has said ‘he is getting on with doing his job, but if someone fires the starting gun, he isn’t afraid of gunfire’.”
They added that the implication was Carns “would throw his hat in the ring should someone trigger a race”.
Speaking to The i Paper, allies described him as a potential “antidote to Reform” and one of the few frontbenchers capable of reconnecting with “Red Wall” voters.
‘Constituency engagement, not personal promoton’
Carns told The i Paper the claims were “made in full compliance with Ipsa rules” and that the work related to constituency engagement rather than personal promotion.
A series of professionally produced constituency films — funded through his Ipsa expenses — have included a pull-up challenge with firefighters at Kings Norton Fire Station, and a visit to a local brewery where he discussed the importance of Government support for small businesses.
It was great to visit Northfield & Kings Norton Fire Station and meet the team. Our emergency services are the backbone of our communities 🚒
Dedicated, skilled, and there when we need them most. We owe them huge thanks for the work they do. pic.twitter.com/Fsm2j8bXsW
— Al Carns (@AlistairCarns) January 28, 2026
It is not unusual for MPs to use their Ipsa allowance to fund independent contractors who do communications and constituency engagement work.
The allowance exists to help members communicate with constituents, independently of their ministerial or party political roles — unlike government communications budgets, which are funded separately and used for official announcements and policy campaigns.
But the scale of Carns’s spending goes significantly beyond what his colleagues are doing. In 2024-25, every other minister on the Ipsa register — spanning Cabinet and junior ministerial level — combined spent £24,600 on communications and media, only £3,700 more than Carns claimed alone.
Carns was appointed as a defence minister shortly after the 2024 general election (Photo: Jacob King/PA)
In 2025-26, he spent more than all six other ministers who made claims for communications work combined, who together claimed £9,600. The average MP claims around £4,251 a year.
Of the ministers who claimed for communications and media expenses in 2024-25, five claimed less than £2,000 for the entire year, less than Carns spent in a single month.
Since April 2024, his claims for communications and media expenses have been the second-highest of any MP, coming behind independent MP Rupert Lowe, who claimed around £39,200 over the same period.
Carns’s spending funded a monthly fee paid to a Birmingham-based PR specialist and a series of professionally produced constituency short films made with a videographer, who was paid around £4,000.
The films — at least 24 in total across 22 months — covered visits to local businesses, community hubs, a hospital liver care unit, a fire station and a school democracy day.
What would our communities look like without independent businesses?
Great to visit @atticbrewc in Stirchley and see firsthand the passion and hard work that goes into running a successful local brewery.
Independent businesses like this create great products, create jobs, bring… pic.twitter.com/Xu7H1N4Hlu
— Al Carns (@AlistairCarns) March 16, 2026
The PR specialist’s past clients include an internationally renowned ballet company, a Michelin-starred restaurant and multiple arts organisations.
Carns said the majority of her work related to “day-to-day constituency office support, including diary and administrative work, engagement with local organisations and outreach on behalf of myself and constituents” – and that this was listed under communications and media work due to Ipsa rules.
He said his overall staffing spend of £111,000 in 2024-25 was “significantly below typical levels for MPs” and that the video content “very clearly focuses on engagement and transparency, not personal promotion”.
The PR specialist’s LinkedIn profile lists her occupation as a “Communications, Media and PR Consultant” with more than 20 years of experience in media, PR and marketing.
The i Paper understands that under the Ipsa rules, bought-in services categorised under communications and media can include work to update constituents on parliamentary work, and that each MP has flexibility in the day-to-day responsibilities assigned to individual workers.