The former minister for the armed forces has resigned, citing his opposition to the government's Northern Ireland Troubles legacy legislation.

Al Carns announced his departure on Thursday, stating in a letter to the prime minister that the bill is 'unfit for purpose' and risks failing the veterans it is meant to protect.

Mr Carns said he had attempted to amend the legislation from within the government, but the changes he believed necessary were not accepted. He could no longer in good conscience ask veterans to trust a process he himself does not trust, he wrote.

TUV leader Jim Allister welcomed the resignation, saying Mr Carns had articulated concerns that many veterans in Northern Ireland have held for years.

The Labour government's bill replaces the 2023 Legacy Act introduced by the previous Conservative administration, which offered conditional immunity from prosecution for crimes committed during the conflict. The new proposals include a legacy commission and a dedicated unit within the Irish police service, with cooperation from Dublin.

Speaking to GB News, Mr Carns argued the current approach creates a 'hierarchy of truth' in Northern Ireland. He said 90 percent of casualties during the Troubles were caused by terrorists, and he did not want elderly veterans dragged into court.

The government had announced a package of protections for veterans, including that they could not be forced to travel for inquests or commission hearings. However, critics such as former UUP councillor Jeff Dudgeon have dismissed these measures as insufficient.

Mr Carns's resignation also highlighted his concerns about defence spending, but his critique of the legacy bill has intensified debate over how the state addresses the past in Northern Ireland.