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Brown set to hand Lumley Gurkha campaign victory
Martin Bentham20.05.09
Home Secretary Jacqui Smith is to make a Commons statement tomorrow over the residency rights for Gurkhas, the Prime Minister disclosed today.
Mr Brown told the Commons at question time that he had a "great deal of sympathy and support" for Gurkhas who wished to live here.
He said: "I believe it is possible for us to honour our commitments to the Gurkhas and to do so in a way that protects the public finances.
"That will be part of the announcement that is made tomorrow."
Last month, Mr Brown's Government suffered its first major defeat by 21 votes, as 27 Labour rebels joined the Tories and Liberal Democrats in demanding equal residency rights for all Gurkha soldiers after a high profile public campaign.
The Prime Minister is expected to announce that the 36,000 former Gurkhas who retired before 1997 will be given the right to live in this country.
The veterans' families are also likely to be given the same entitlement despite earlier Government claims that the reform could cost taxpayers £1.4 billion.
In a decision which infuriated Ms Lumley and other Gurkha supporters, ministers had previously cited the potential expense as justification for new rules which would have severely limited the right of the pre-1997 veterans to move to the UK.
The Prime Minister was forced to order a re-think after suffering a damaging Commons defeat, which also triggered a face to face meeting between him and Ms Lumley and a subsequent extraordinary impromptu press conference in which the actress appeared to be dictating policy to Home Office immigration minister Phil Woolas.
Reports today suggested that Mr Brown has now decided to scrap all restrictions and to give all Gurkha veterans an entitlement to live in this country.
That could open the door to as many as 36,000 veterans, plus roughly twice as many of their family members, although campaigners say that the overall number of arrivals is likely to be no more than 10,000 because many of the retired soldiers will still prefer to stay in their home country of Nepal.
Gurkha supporters will, however, be studying the detail of the looming announcement closely to ensure that the fine print matches any promises that are made by ministers so that all veterans are genuinely covered by any new right to settle.
The original row over the Gurkhas' fate was triggered by a court ruling last year which declared unlawful the Government's previous policy of denying Gurkha veterans who retired before 1997 the right to settle in the UK.
That raised hopes among campaigners that all those who had retired before this date would be allowed to move to this country, but ministers responded instead by announcing more limited reforms.
At the time, the Home Office said these changes would have allowed up to 10,000 veterans and family members to come to this country, although Ms Lumley condemned their decision as shameful as campaigners suggested that the true total would be as few as 400.
The Government's surprise Commons defeat and Ms Lumley's high profile campaign forced Mr Brown to order a review of the new rules and to promise to announce revised regulations by the end of July.
With his political authority weakened by the controversy over Parliamentary expenses, it appears, however, that the Prime Minister has now decided that to bow to popular demand and to abandon any effort to limit the Gurkhas' rights to settle here.
Gurkha veterans who retired after 1997 are already entitled to live in Britain following an earlier decision by the Government.
Reader views (24)
Until I have heard the announcement clearly & simply I fear I will not trust Weasel Brown.
- P Doff, audierne france
It has been said that the likes of Joanna Lumley and Esther Rantzen have no experience of politics. Excellent, just what we need, new thinking, from people who have no agenda,or belong to a tribal group where the "club" comes first.
- Wills, Soton
joanna must and will become an MP in the next government. The people will make it happen. Intention is a very powerfull unseen force: people meditate on Joanna becoming an MP in the next general election.
- Boludo'S Neice, london england
About time too!
- Mel Barrows, Tenerife. Canary Islands.
Brown isn't giving way out of common decency and justice. He had to be bludgeoned into submission. Hardly a glowing endorsement, this never-the-less just end result, of the government's worthiness to be in power (more like a lack thereof).
- Rogan, Irving
Joanna Lumley did a wonderful job in showing the politicians how to do their jobs. Have any of them learnt the lessons? The residency rights for Gurkhas are obvious to any freethinking person - if they have served with their lives, they deserve to live here - but all the Government could come up with was the potential cost to the taxpayers! A just cause if ever there was one. Joanna had a vested interest - her father had been saved by a Gurkha - but that just meant she was more sure of her ground, and she was not going to be fobbed off by 'we'll see what we can do' platitudes. We need more conviction politicians and fewer career politicians.
- Shaun Hexter, Walthamstow UK
Good for the government to lose - again. Soon they will be gone that Labor bunch!
- Jacqueline, Hampstead, London
they have fought for us now let us fight for them come on british people fight for the gurkhas to stay in this country of ours
- William Lyon, swansea
I would like to see the Gurkhas at the Trooping of the Colour in June; and Ms Lumley surely should be made a Dame for helping to restore some honour to the UK.
- Leslie Moody, Västerås Sweden
The reason public anger is on the side of the Gurkhas is because this country has allowed millions of people with little or no ties to this country to settle (including a number of criminals). And yet the authorities deny residency to men of honour and courage who have shed their blood in defence of our country.
And that offends anyone with the slightest notion of natural justice.
I welcome the Gurkhas to this country. And Lumley has been exemplary as a campaign figure-head. Bravo!
- Danny, London
He speaks as if the Gurkhas will be an economic burden...he obviously has not met many Gurkhas. If he is worried about the cost of migration to this country he should start with the asylum seekers who really are a burden. Listen to and trust the people Gordon - its called democracy....surely you remember!!!
- John, Andover England
I wonder how many other non-commonwealth veterans will also be allowed in under the new rules. Is it going to be just the Ghurkas? How about veterans from the Filipino army? They fought for us too didn't they?
- Paul, United Kingdom
Let them all come. Why stop at the Gurkhas. The UK has unlimited funds and if we ever run short we can put the taxes up.
- Richard Holland, Lichfield, Staffordshire
Bottling his bad decisionmaking again it's Crash Gordon!
- Steveo, London, NW1
This was always a no-brainer; it just goes to show the depths to which we have plunged that we have created barriers for these fine, loyal people.
Ghurkas = friends. Friends you invite into your home without rancour or reservation.
Well done, Joanna Lumley, a true, modern heroine.It's not just the Ghurkas who should thank you for your efforts (though I know you don't want or need them) but us for bringing this country to its senses.
- Steven Dale, London, England
Crash Gordon keeps showing what poor leader he is. That is why he is UN-ELECTED
- Georgie, Islington, London
WHY NOT THEY HAVE SERVED US HONESTLY ,UNLIKE OUR M.P.S
BRING IT ON.
- K.Butler, spain
i mean honestly, what sort of derranged wonk ever thought that denying the ghurkas residency was a sensible idea.
how can a rational person suggest that these, of all people, don't deserve this smallest of concessions.
as for the cost argument, well that's as flimsy as any of Alastair Darlings economic forecasts.
- Scotty, london
Quote: Boludo, London.
Joanna we need you in the next government. Lets start a campaign and have her as our guardian. I always thought she had the Angel in her.
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I agree totally with that Boludo; she is far to much for Brown to handle.
If I was younger; I would marry her…….XXX
- Mickyinlondon, london
The money we save on MP's expenses will make a good contribution to the cost of these wonderful people. All of them deserve to be properly looked after by the UK.
- Ron, Chislehurst
It was that earlier decision by the government in 1997 that caused the problem, they only have themselves to blame for their grandstanding - typical nu Labour.
- Peter Haldane, London
It's about time, we need are close and trusted friends and allies by our side more than ever before. We welcome them if they take up residency in my town or even my street I would be pleased and proud. We have allowed tens of thousand immigrants into this country would cannot be trusted and who only come here because we are seen to be a Soft touch and easy to deceive.
It seems we still have illegal and criminal immigrants in our security services, it beggars belief!!! Perhaps our Nepalese friends and families will look to join our police/security forces, then I'd have more respect for our Police Force?
- Sam, Stonehouse, England
Joanna we need you in the next government. Lets start a campaign and have her as our guardian. I always thought she had the Angel in her.
- Boludo, london
It,s disgusting you have to have a well known person to make any progress for people who fought for our country and deserve residence unlike large numbers of illegal immigrants
- Basil, bussiere poitevine 87320 france
