Gurkhas to be given right to settle in Britain

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

Betrayal of Gurkha hero's family

If this story is true it is just stunning and reveals that Gordon Brown's promise to Joanna Lumley were just his typical Weasel Words. Yesterday I blogged about the death of four soldiers and the fact that one was a Gurkha nowaAccording to the Sunday Mirror

The widow of a hero Gurkha killed in Afghanistan was told she has no right to stay in Britain – just 24 hours after he was blasted to death by a Taliban suicide bomber.

Still stunned by news that Kumar Pun had given his life for Britain on Thursday, his wife Parbati was told on Friday she and his children could be ordered out of the UK next year.

And even though Kumar, 31, of Dover, loyally served his Queen and Country for 13 years, his wife may not even qualify for an Army widow’s pension.

The revelations come amid huge public outrage led by actress Joanna Lumley at the Government’s refusal to give all Gurkhas an automatic right to live here when they retire.

Kumar’s uncle Jak Phagami said yesterday Parbati, 28, cannot even grieve properly as she fears she and their two daughters will have to move 4,000 miles to Nepal, where she and Kumar were born.

Furious Jak, 43, himself a former Gurkha, said: “She is so upset about hearing of her husband’s death but now she is worried they won’t let her stay here.”

Speaking at Kumar and Parbati’s home in Kent, he added: “She was told by an Army person that when her visa runs out she may have to go back to Nepal and reapply for a British visa so she can come back. But her home is here now, the children are here and she must stay here. Parbati is in a terrible condition.

"She is totally distraught. She hasn’t eaten for two days or left her bedroom. She is slipping in and out of consciousness and we are really worried for her health.”

This story just beggars belief, how can we treat people like this, how can we treat people who are prepared to give their life's for our country with such disregard. We must right this terrible wrong.

Betrayal of Gurkha hero's family - widow told day after he dies she and family must leave Britain - mirror.co.uk

The Weasling Words of Zombie Brown - Gurkha's

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.

Trusting the Weasel Words of the Prime Minister

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