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”.
