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Royal family supports me on Gurkhas, Lumley tells Commons
Martin Bentham05.05.09
Joanna Lumley today claimed that she has won royal support for the campaign to allow all Gurkha veterans to live in Britain.
The actress told the Commons home affairs select committee that she had had a letter backing the Gurkhas' campaign from an unnamed member of the royal family.
"The royal family are not allowed to get involved although personally I have had a letter of support," she told MPs.
Lumley later told reporters the letter came from a senior member of the royal family but insisted it was not the Prince of Wales. She renewed her call for ministers to abandon their current policy of restricting the right of entry to Britain for Gurkhas from before 1997.
MPs were also told today that the true cost of allowing all Gurkha veterans to settle in Britain could be only a third of the amount stated by ministers.
A leaked internal government document disclosed today to the select committee put the bill at as little as £425million.
That compares with a total of more than £1.4billion quoted by ministers during the debate which led up to the Government's humiliating Commons defeat last week over its policy of limiting the rights of Gurkhas who retired before 1997 to come to Britain.
Today's revelation was made by Labour MP Martin Salter as he and fellow committee members questioned immigration minister Phil Woolas and defence minister Kevan Jones. Mr Salter accused ministers of quoting only the highest figure for estimated costs - of £1.4 billion-£1.6billion - in the leaked document and failing to mention the lower estimate of £425million.
He described this as "offensive" and said that evidence from those Gurkhas and their dependants already here showed that most worked and paid taxes, rather than acting as a major drain on the welfare system, NHS and schools as figures quoted by ministers suggested.
Mr Woolas insisted that ministers had always made clear that their cost estimates were for the maximum possible burden on taxpayers, but insisted that concerns about the likely expense remained justified.
Mr Jones added that Army chiefs were already pressuring him to cut Gurkha recruitment next year because of the growing costs.
Ministers have now promised to review the policy by the end of this month and to halt any deportations under the existing rules.
Reader views (9)
What is "offensive" is Salter making all this noise about the issue then, when it comes to his chance to vote on the matter, something only he out of all the people in Reading West can do, he abstains. Maybe why he has been making all this bluster - to divert you all from his 'principled' abstention. Seems to have worked doesn't it.
- Andrew Tattersall, France
I too support the Gurkas, but Ms Lumley you have made your point. I wish I were a celebrity, if only to give my views on some of the issues I hold dear.
- Mark, Venice, Italy
No money! Plenty of money though for compliance with undemocratic EU shanninigans which cost more the UK some Uk£4.5 billion in 2007 alone and going up every day since, the possible UK£1 trillion that an illegal immigrant amnesty might cost; and don't forget the flowing river of money for other NuLab schemes such as MPs' housing and expenses, their ill thought out wars and their various fradulent racial quangos. Good grief, it makes one quiver.
- Helen, norwich
Why is it, that under this useless,spineless,incompetent and patronising sham of a Government, anyone who is brave enough to put their life on the line (i.e Gurkhas, Soldiers, Police Officers)is treated so despicably?!
Oh but NuLabour welcomes with open arms those who will vote for them i.e Asylum seekers, murderers, rapists etc.
What a disgusting state of affairs - RESIGN NOW GORDON BROWN!
- Dan H, Monaco, France
When the Anarchists take over because the police and the army have been emaciated through PC, it is the Gurkhas who will be cladestinely engaged to assist. Only they will tell the UK to get stuffed.
- Bj, London
Can't quite believe that Mr Jones is being pressurised into cutting Gurkha recruitment next year because of the growing costs! The Gurkhas are one of the most poorly paid members of the British? armed forces. It's like being in Morisons or Asda, you buy one and get one free in comparison to home grown soldiers. Unless the Gurkhas have been given a pay rise there is a marked difference in pay scales.
- Alan, carlisle uk
The vast majority support this, except our useless government.
Bring on the election.
- Dave Davies, Basingstoke
Well don Jo !!! by the way i love you !!
- Brian, Wiltshire
Mr Woolas seems unconcerned at the major drain which his fellow MPs and Ministers are on the public purse ,an expense which disgusts the electorate.Then he does the sums ,multiplies the result by 3.5 and presents that figure as the truth....still creative accounting appears to be the strenght of this Government.
- P Doff, paris france
