Gurkha veterans seek equal rights - Page 11

Mick Fisher · 09-05-2009, 04:12

Quote:

Originally Posted by jamiefrost

The goverment really need to know how upset people are and out of touch they are.

JJ

I'm pretty sure they know only too well.

Trouble is they are all extremely preoccupied with, what they consider, more pressing matters than The Gurkhas at the moment.

Namely that their Expenses Gravy Train looks like ending and their Expenses Frauds are being exposed to public scrutiny. I would like to hope that at least some of them are sick with worry about it but I suspect that they are so brass necked and divorced from reality that they are not even losing any sleep over it.

highlandlassie · 09-05-2009, 07:08

My MP voted no, I sent him an email and I finally got a reply back 7 days later. My MP voted No the reason being, no-one seemd to know the answer to a vital queston that was asked!

"What impact would this proposal have on the Gurkha's homeland of Nepal, which is the 12th poorest country in the world?

My MP was worried that that a mass exodus of former Gurkha's and their families from Nepal to the UK, could have a devastating impact on the Nepalese economy, and provoke the PM of Nepal to put an end to the tradition of Gurkhas joining the britsih army, which he has the power to do

Sirius · 09-05-2009, 07:40

Quote:

Originally Posted by highland lassie

My MP voted no, I sent him an email and I finally got a reply back 7 days later. My MP voted No the reason being, no-one seemed to know the answer to a vital question that was asked!

"What impact would this proposal have on the Gurkha's homeland of Nepal, which is the 12th poorest country in the world?

My MP was worried that that a mass exodus of former Gurkha's and their families from Nepal to the UK, could have a devastating impact on the Nepalese economy, and provoke the PM of Nepal to put an end to the tradition of Gurkhas joining the british army, which he has the power to do

My MP Helen Southworth voted no and has not replied to my 2 emails. She will NOT be getting my vote at the next election.

**Chris** · 09-05-2009, 07:59

Quote:

Originally Posted by highlandlassie

My MP voted no, I sent him an email and I finally got a reply back 7 days later. My MP voted No the reason being, no-one seemd to know the answer to a vital queston that was asked!

"What impact would this proposal have on the Gurkha's homeland of Nepal, which is the 12th poorest country in the world?

My MP was worried that that a mass exodus of former Gurkha's and their families from Nepal to the UK, could have a devastating impact on the Nepalese economy, and provoke the PM of Nepal to put an end to the tradition of Gurkhas joining the britsih army, which he has the power to do

That sounds like a crock of turds to me. The sort of excuse offered by someone who wants to toady up to the Party leadership but without looking like they're toadying up to the Party leadership.

Funny how nobody else seems to be raising that as a concern.

09-05-2009, 09:41

Excuses and mp's are like night and day one always follows the other.

Mick Fisher · 09-05-2009, 20:17

It's very much looking like, if an MP, or the Government collectively, cannot make a profit from an endeavour then said endeavour is doomed to failure no matter how strong public opinion is.

Unless of course we are on the run up to an election.

I have a sneaky feeling that the Gurkha proposal will be sidelined until such a time and then brought out and passed in a blaze of publicity about how much this Labour Crew is concerned about Human Rights and fair play.

Of course "Do The Right Thing" will still be the words they chortle over while they get legless quoffing their "paid for by the gullable taxpayer" tipples in the Commons Bar.

Sirius · 09-05-2009, 20:44

This Goverment should hang its head in shame. Yesterday Cpl Kumar Pun, from the 1st Battalion The Royal Gurkha Rifles, died in a suicide attack protecting us from a fanatical terrorist organisation. How much more does the Labour Party need to be reminded of the dedication we see every day from the Gurkha's and everyone in the Armed forces. There is more honour in a Gurkha's little finger than in the whole of the Labour Party.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/8041765.stm

---------- Post added at 21:44 ---------- Previous post was at 21:40 ----------

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mick Fisher

I have a sneaky feeling that the Gurkha proposal will be sidelined until such a time and then brought out and passed in a blaze of publicity about how much this Labour Crew is concerned about Human Rights and fair play.

That must not be allowed to happen. We all must keep this in the public eye and not allow Brown and his gutless wonders to get away with treating the Gurkha's the way they have done.

**Chris** · 21-05-2009, 11:25

BBC breaking news ... all Gurkhas with more than four years' service will now be eligible to apply to live in the UK.

Sirius · 21-05-2009, 11:25

All gurkha's now have the right to stay in this country. The Government had to be forced into this but at least they have finally allowed this to happen.

I still feel there is no honour in a Bunch of Mp's that had to be forced to change there minds

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/8060607.stm

Quote:

All Gurkha veterans who retired before 1997 with at least four years service will be allowed to settle in the UK, Home Secretary Jacqui Smith has said.

Ms Smith told MPs she was "proud to offer this country's welcome to all who have served in the brigade of Gurkhas".

Her announcement follows a high-profile campaign by supporters of Gurkha rights and an embarrassing Commons defeat for the Government.

Some 36,000 Gurkhas who left before 1997 have been denied UK residency.

**Chris** · 21-05-2009, 11:36

Another rearguard action by a dithering, incompetent Government. I'm glad the Gurkhas have finally got what they should have had years ago. And I hope that if any good comes out of this whole debacle, that it will turn out to be another nail in Gordon Brown's political coffin.

Derek · 21-05-2009, 11:44

Another U-turn? Who would have thought it...

Ravenheart · 21-05-2009, 11:49

Fantastic news, and once again shows how completely out of touch this government are with the wishes of the citizens of the UK.

Joanna Lumley has been a wonderful representative, she really humiliated the minsters involved.

A great day for the Gurkha's

Russ · 21-05-2009, 11:52

I've never seen the issue with this. If you are willing to fight and die for this country then you should be rewarded with citizenship.

punky · 21-05-2009, 11:58

Possibly the only thing worse than denying rights to the Gurkhas, was to do a humiliating u-turn on it. Key rule is make a descision and stick with it. I really doubt that anyone would was dissauded from voting Labour over the Gurkha issue in the first place would certainly start voting for them now.

Reminds me of something one of the Marines said in The Rock "So we're not gutless, we're incompetent?". Except its in reverse. Our government is incompetent, and now its gutless.

Paul K · 21-05-2009, 12:03

The Gurkhas should never have been put into this position in the first place, they should always have been welcomed into this country. Any countrys government that treats illegal migrants better than people who have proven time and time again to be ready, able and willing to lay down their life for a country thousands of miles away does not deserve the pride and courage of the Gurkhas.