Fitaloon at MicroShaft

All Gurkha veterans will be given the same right to settle in Britain, ministers will announce on Thursday.

The statement will confirm a significant political victory for campaigners led by the actress Joanna Lumley.

Gordon Brown, the Prime Minister, is expected to signal the new policy in the Commons today, with a formal statement from the Home Office on Thursday.

Victory for Joanna Lumley as all Gurkhas to be given right to settle in Britain – Telegraph

I see that in less than 24 hours the Weasel Words of Zombie Brown on how he would sort out the issue of the Gurkha’s rights to live in Britain have already been broken As the Spectator put it

Joanna Lumley was late for her 4pm press conference – she apologised and explained why. 10 Downing Street had just called her and said they “had just heard” that four of the five Gurkhas have had their test cases rejected. She repeated this, with incredulity. “They had just heard. They had just heard. There seems, if I may say so minister, a gap in communications.”

That’s one way of putting it. Another way of putting it is that British government is in utter meltdown, and there be even more stapler-sized holes in the walls of No10 this afternoon. Brown gave assurances on the matter, on the very day the Home Office rejects it – this is what passes for government. It is pure panto. And it would be funny – if these clowns weren’t also in charge of the economy.

What more need I say really, This is a government of the Incompetent, lead by a complete Incompetent and our only hope is that some of the less Incompetent’s come to their senses and get rid of the Prime Minister. We may be in for a long and excruciating wait, or maybe not as rumours are rife, from a knowledgeable source, of developments overnight on the expenses front and a number of ministers may be involved.

Joanna Lumley went to visit Gordon Brown yesterday on the vexed issue of Gurkha’s being able to settle in the UK after serving in the UK Armed Forces.

After her meeting Joanna said

She trusts Gordon Brown to do the “right thing” for the Gurkhas after the meeting to discuss the issue.

Ms Lumley said Mr Brown had taken the matter “into his own hands” and would come up with a “solution” to the issue of residency rights by the end of May.

Amazing this U-Turn by Brown but it just appears to be another part of his embarrassing performance as our supposed Prime Minister. Last week he was proclaiming it would cost 1.4 billion pounds that we didn’t have and then proceeded to lose a vote on the issue.

Me, I wouldn’t trust Gordon Brown to change his socks. He will weasel word his way out of any commitment to the Gurkhas and Joanna.

BBC NEWS | Politics | Lumley ‘trusts’ Brown on Gurkhas

Great News:

The government has lost a Commons vote on its policy of restricting the right of former Gurkhas to settle in the UK.

MPs voted by 267 to 246 in favour of a Lib Dem motion that the government should extend an equal right of residence to all Gurkhas.

Earlier Lib Dem leader Nick Clegg said the current policy, announced by the government last week, was “shameful”.

Gordon Brown said earlier he wanted justice for the Gurkhas but any policy change had to be affordable.

BBC NEWS | Politics | Ministers defeated in Gurkha vote

Nick Clegg on the Gurkhas

Mr Clegg said that there was an obligation to allow Gurkhas who have fought for Britain to settle there, and warned that the Prime Minister must find his moral compass soon if he is to avoid defeat in a vote this afternoon on last week’s residency ruling.

He said the basic principle is that, “if people are prepared to fight and die for our country, they have the right to settle here”.

He added this afternoon’s debate and vote “is an opportunity for all MPs…this is a Prime Minister who once said he had a moral compass – he’s got to find it quickly”.

He went on to say the government is “in truly despicable fashion are trying to scare people” with the use of “totally fictional numbers” regarding the number of former Gurkhas who could settle in Britain under more relaxed rules.

“This ruling would mean Gurkha’s who fought in the Falklands war would have no right to settle here”.

Gurkhas are fighting for Justice. They want the same terms and conditions as their UK and Commonwealth counterparts.

Britain has had no greater friends than the Gurkhas. They have served all across the world in the defence of our Country for nearly 200 years. Over 45,000 died in the two World Wars as part of the British Army. They are still fighting in the British Army today.

You may have seen in the media that the Gurkhas have been fighting in Parliament and the Courts. Step by step, things are getting better – but there is a long way to go.

The Government decision of 25th April 2009 on Gurkha settlement rights is yet another huge betrayal of the Gurkhas who have served our country.

Only a tiny fraction of the Gurkhas who retired before 1997 will win settlement rights under the new policy. A Gurkha will have to have served 20 years or more or won one of a handful of medals: the big majority of Gurkhas served for 15 years under standard army policy.

You can read the full details of the Government’s decision online.

The campaign for full Gurkha Justice will now be taken back into Parliament and the courts. The Government needs to know they will have a huge campaign against them who will commit to righting this wrong.

Please sign up to the campaign below. We will keep in touch with you about how you can help: there is now much that needs to be done.

Join me in the campaign: together, we can finally right this wrong.

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