This evening (26 January 2026) Luke Myer MP supported the successful passage of the Armed Forces Bill through its second reading in the House of Commons. The Bill is set to deliver a major boost for veterans and military families.
The Bill will enshrine the Armed Forces Covenant in law, guaranteeing vital support for those who serve, as well as for veterans and their families. The Bill is a landmark piece of legislation, fulfilling a manifesto pledge to extend the Covenant across all areas of public services, including healthcare and employment support. This will ensure that no one who serves is left behind, with legal protections and services tailored to the unique challenges they face.
A key provision of the Bill is the creation of a new, publicly owned Defence Housing Service, backed by £9 billion in funding. This historic investment will see a generational renewal of military housing, including modernisation and repairs to over 40,000 homes. The renewal also includes 100,000 new homes to be built on surplus defence land, prioritising military personnel and veterans. This follows Labour’s deal to bring 36,000 military homes back into public ownership earlier this year.
Luke Myer MP said:
“The Armed Forces Covenant is a promise that we as a nation must honour. This Bill ensures that our armed forces personnel receive the support and respect they deserve, and it puts their families first by tackling poor housing conditions that have persisted for far too long.”
Luke also reassured constituents in the wake of an online misinformation campaign which falsely claimed that protections for veterans from Op Banner were being scrapped. The 2023 Legacy Act’s provisions were blocked from being implemented, and are being replaced with a more robust system that provides real protection for veterans.
Armed Forces Minister Al Carns DSO OBE MC said:
“We promised our veterans who served with honour in Northern Ireland that we would put proper protections in place … after the false promises of the last government, we are putting in place real, workable protections for veterans that the failed Legacy Act never did. We will not allow the process, like so many times before, to become the punishment for our veterans.
“Having served for 24 years and as a serving reservist myself, I understand the importance of avoiding an endless cycle of investigations. These robust safeguards will ensure the rights of those who served their nation so honourably are protected whilst providing families with a fair and transparent system to seek answers.”
The Government has also recently published the new Veterans Strategy, which Luke’s local veteran roundtable on mental health last year helped to shape. The Strategy includes the creation of OpValour support hubs, and Luke is backing a North East bid for one of these hubs, which will provide dedicated services for veterans across the region. The full Veterans Strategy is available to read here.