Brown defeated over Gurkha rules

Brown defeated over Gurkha rules

news.bbc.co.uk

Gordon Brown's government has suffered a shock defeat in the Commons on its policy of restricting the right of many former Gurkhas to settle in the UK.

MPs voted by 267 to 246 for a Lib Dem motion offering all Gurkhas equal right of residence, with the Tories and 27 Labour rebels backing it.

Lib Dem leader Nick Clegg called the government's position "shameful"

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Great story,i cant believe Gordon Browns position on this in the first place.These people fought and died along with our soldiers and the shameful decision that they could only settle here if they fought after 1997 was appaling.I dont like either the conservatives or liberal democrats,but this was a good decision and bravo to the labour MP's that voted aswell.

news.bbc.co.uk
(visit the link for the full news article)

YAAAAY! I just saw this story, and all I can say is, kudos to all those who voted for, and especially to Joanna Lumley, who's been passionately behind this for aages.
Although I don't condone war on any level, these are extremely brave people who have served in the name of Britain (and previously the British Empire) and have been largely forgotten (thanks, in part, to people like Gordon narrow-minded Brown). That they've earned this recognition is amazing.

It was cool to see Joanna Lumley waving a Kukri (gurkha blade) above her head too!

Question from an ignorant American:

"former Gurkhas to settle in the UK. "

Explain please?

reply to post by Maxmars


The BBC explains best

Who are the Gurkhas?

A small sign that our MPs can listen and can do the right thing. What staggers me is that our PM things this was something he wanted to fight on.

Time I think Mr Brown to start firing some of your advisors and listen to what is right.

And we all need to find out if our local MP voted for or against this. If they voted with the Government, we need to send them a message that they should stay looking for alternative employment!!

[edit on 29-4-2009 by Freedom ERP]

they let the scum of the middle east come and live here knowing they hate everything Britain stands for , then tell the very men who risked there lives for Britain that they cant.. i cant wait till gordon brown and his storm trooper government get voted out of power...the Gurkha's are more than welcome to live with me if they want....

There are few fighting men in the world that don't revere the abilities and the absolute loyalty of these men to the Crown. Fearless warriors who fought with no regard to themselves save for the objective given them to accomplish! Brown is foolish to deny these men and their families the respect they surely deserve!

Zindo

this is good news! i found it quite disrespectful to deny them in the first place.

It does seem that if a person is willing to lay down their life in defense of your country, you might be inclined to offer them the rewards of citizenship, that are granted to many who wouldn't hesitate to detract from your country for their own gain.

I suppose it is wrong for an American to presume to judge the decision, but as a 12-year veteran... had I the power, I would welcome them to my country, no strings attached. Courage, true courage, is much more easily found in those who willingly accept the burden of martial responsibility. We need as many such soldiers as we can find.

reply to post by fatdad

Totally agree, they let in loads from the ME and create a new Balkans in the future, while refusing to let in the Gurkhas who have fought for the United Kingdom in battle for a hundred years. What a British disgrace, a colonial legacy that is now put justifiably right. All the best to the Gurkhas. We welcome you as brothers.

Here's the stories of the 13 Nepali gurkhas to have been awarded the Victoria Cross. I defy anyone to read these accounts and declare that these remarkable people have no right to reside in the country for which they have given so much.

Gurkha VCs

My father was in the RAF, has served in Iraq (Basra specifically), and so I grew up on military bases. My first and only experience with the Gurkhas was on a walk with my father as a young boy, and I walked past a compound with strange-looking (non-English) armed men patrolling. These men looked, for want of a better word, serious and incredibly dangerous. Not threatening, but just as if at any moment they could literally turn into your worst nightmare, if provoked.

I asked my father who they were, and he said simply to me "they are the Gurkhas. You leave them alone, son".

My father is not a man to be intimidated, but what he said was so respectful that I was instantly aware that these people were not men with whom to mess.

Originally posted by Solomons
MPs voted by 267 to 246 for a Lib Dem motion offering all Gurkhas equal right of residence, with the Tories and 27 Labour rebels backing it.

While I am glad that Brown was defeated on this one, the fact that there were still 246 MPs who voted against it, is completely appalling. It really implies we have a bunch of idiots in charge.

Maybe sanity can prevail in the Labour Government after all...

reply to post by apex


All of them Labour MP's though, which is odd as they are the ones who opened our Borders to any sod who wanted a house and a wad of cash for spouting hate against the very country that admitted them!

ALL Gurhka's, regardless of when they served should be allowed to stay AND granted citizenship.

Roll on May 2010.....

This whole embarrassing episode is a deep shame on Mr Brown and is something that I hope he takes time to think on. This hasn't added anything to his current drive to improve his public standing. I applaud the determination of Ms Lumley who's passion for this cause would have done her father very proud indeed not to mention all of those who stood shoulder to shoulder against a matter that was clearly unjust and afront to those brave men who gave their lives in combat and service.

Peace

Berth

[edit on 30-4-2009 by badBERTHA]

[edit on 30-4-2009 by badBERTHA]

I cheered when I read this, S&F

It's great to see such support for the Ghurkhas, and great to see the government get a kicking

And I've also written to my MP (Malcolm Wicks, Croydon North) to ask him why he voted with the government. Not that I expect a reply, he's a useless whotsit.

reply to post by mattpryor


I used MP mailing thingy to e-mail my MP a few months ago and he replied within a day. Not the answer I was after, but he replied!

Just search for the bugger and mail him!

Funny how that fool, David Cameron turned up at the last minute for the cameras after he realised it might make him look good.

They have been trying to fix this for a long time and he jumps infront of the cameras last minute after doing nothing...

reply to post by MR BOB


Agreed. I like Cameron but he dropped the ball on this one, Nick Clegg and the Lib Dems get all the credit in my book - good for them.