Gurkhas defeat British government in parliament (Lead)
April 29th, 2009 - 11:00 pm ICT by IANS ( Leave a comment )By Dipankar De Sarkar
London, April 29 (IANS) The British government Wednesday suffered a humiliating defeat after parliament voted to reverse regulations seeking to curtail the rights of Gurkha ex-soldiers to settle down in Britain.
MPs voted by 267 to 246 votes in favour of an amendment, moved by the opposition Liberal Democrat party, to allow all Gurkha ex-soldiers who have served in the British Army to live in Britain.
Current regulations allow such rights to only those Gurkhas who retired after 1997, when a Gurkha army base in Hong Kong was moved to Britain.
Last week the Labour government said Gurkha ex-servicemen who retired before 1997 and want to live in Britain must prove they have close family in Britain, have served in the army for at least 20 years, been wounded in battle or won gallantry medals.
But Labour MPs joined opposition ranks Wednesday to vote against the government policy guidance.
Damian Green, the opposition Conservative party’s immigration spokesman, described the defeat as a “devastating blow” to the government.
- Gurkhas fight it out in British parliament - Apr 29, 2009
- Ayo Gurkhali! Campaigners celebrate Gurkha victory - Apr 30, 2009
- Britain opens Nepal office to help Gurkha migration - Oct 05, 2009
- Abandoned Gurkha veterans get first home in Nepal - Nov 17, 2010
- "They made us the poorest of the poor" say UK Gurkhas - Mar 22, 2010
- Britain denies Gurkha ex-soldiers automatic right to settle - Apr 24, 2009
- Gurkhas take pension battle to European rights court - Jun 20, 2011
- Gurkhas get axe as Britain reduces troops (Lead) - Apr 04, 2011
- Gurkhas axed as Britain reduces troops - Apr 04, 2011
- (After 2)Mamata's patriotic song becomes swansong for ex-servicemen - Sep 18, 2011
- Ex-servicemen hold protest, demand equal pension (Lead) - Mar 14, 2010
- Retired defence personnel demand hike in pension - Jul 11, 2010
- 'Gurkhas to get British residency rights' - May 20, 2009
- Apex court recalls order on panel for ex-servicemen - Jul 18, 2011
- British MPs vote to give Gurkhas right to live in Britain - Apr 30, 2009
Tags: april 29, army base, british army, british government, conservative party, dipankar, favour, gallantry medals, government policy, gurkha army, gurkhas, immigration, labour government, labour mps, liberal democrat party, opposition, parliament, policy guidance, sarkar, spokesman
