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The Gurkha Campaign

Alex Massie

Friday, 24th April 2009

No surprise, alas, that the government should still be trying to find ways to deny Gurkhas the right to live in this country. The most charitable interpretation of today's announcement is that the Brown ministry is making it more difficult than it should be for Gurkhas who retired before 1997 to live in Britain. A more accurate assessment might be that this is a typically mendacious, mean-spirited, shameless, pointless piece of bullying bullshit from a government that's so past its sell-by date that there's no point in even wondering whether there's any further use for it.

Here's the BBC account:

Immigration Minister Phil Woolas denied he had betrayed the Gurkhas, adding: "This improves the situation."
He said: "It has never been the case that all Gurkhas pre-1997 were to be allowed to stay in the country. With their dependents you could be looking at 100,000 people.

"It's simply not true that we have betrayed the Gurkhas. When people read the guidelines they will see the sense of them."

And what, I ask you, would be the problem with 100,000 Gurkhas and their families moving to this country? Let 'em in, say I. The country will not fall if 100,000 tiny men from the Himalayas are permitted residence. And does Woolas not realise how absurd he looks when he spouts this nonsense. Evidently not.

Note too how the government argues that pre-1997, when the Gurkhas' HQ was still in Hong Kong, they had no "strong residential ties" with the United Kingdom. Apart, of course, from serving in the British Army - a service that common-sense suggests, no demands, one consider a pretty hefty tie to this country regardless of whether it's "residential" or not. Ultimately, how absurd is it that you can fight in the British army but be denied the right to live in Britain?

Then again, this is the Home Office so who can be surprised by the absence of charity, common-sense and decency on display in this shabby tale?

More from the Gurkha Justice Campaign here.

UPDATE: Mr Eugenides does some useful number-crunching.

Filed under: Britain (275 more articles) , Gurkhas (3 more articles) , Labour (338 more articles)

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UK Fred

April 24th, 2009 5:17pm Report this comment

Shameless decision from a shameless government. Gordon, it's time to go and take your self-serving pack of scavenging attack-dogs with you.

Gery

April 24th, 2009 5:29pm Report this comment

I am pro-Ghurka and would like to know what a Conservative Government would do about this.It is unlikely that a large number of Ghurkas would want to live here, especially the older ones. After all, giving them the right to live here does not mean paying their airfares and resettlement costs.

mac

April 24th, 2009 5:33pm Report this comment

"Then again, this is the Home Office so who can be surprised by the absence of charity, common-sense and decency on display in this shabby tale?"

Agreed.

But being championed by the elegant and delectable Joanna Lumley in the 'court of public opinion' will help no end. I don't think this is finished . . .

Rocky - Nairobi Kenya

April 24th, 2009 8:16pm Report this comment

W*asel words from a We*asel home Office!

Allan

April 24th, 2009 8:46pm Report this comment

The Gurkhas have been betrayed.
Only one vote,but as a lifelong Labour supporter,this government have lost mine.

B Doherty

April 24th, 2009 10:41pm Report this comment

I am disgusted by the Governments descision. These men where fearless defending our men and our course. We let criminal immigrants into this country who fleece the system. So what have the Ghurkhas done to deserve this treatment. Put it to a Public Vote and see the Goverment shamed, I have no doubt.

Fergus Pickering

April 25th, 2009 5:53am Report this comment

Arseholes! But of course they're arseholes. We knew that. What are WE (Tories I mean) going to do about it? Have We got honour?

tommyt

April 25th, 2009 9:06am Report this comment

its difficult to find another issue which unites so many in UK politics today

sylvia Bristol

April 25th, 2009 9:16am Report this comment

If the government got rid of all the undesirables that should not be in this country then we would have plenty of room for OUR brave welcome heros

Gill Maharjan

April 25th, 2009 10:12pm Report this comment

The government displays a blatantly racist approach to the Nepali people in general. I am a British citizen but my partner is in Kathmandu and is not even able to get a visa to visit me - despite me having served as a JP, employing 45 people in a social enterprise and being a fellow of the royal society for the arts.The ghurkas have sacrificed their lives for Britain yet sadly the government do not appear to appreciate this. (And Sylvia - WHO are undesirable? Biggots and racists in my view!)

Sarah Shepton

April 25th, 2009 11:24pm Report this comment

Rather than grumbling into our beards, why don't we all expend the energy on writing to our MPs, signing up for the Gurkha Justice Campaign and getting as many other people to join us, with the aim of getting this mendacious Government to act honourably.

Now, I know that asking them to act honourably is like offering a fish a bicycle, but they do jerk their knees most violently when they think the public are against them - so let's make sure they feel the full weight of our disgust and disapproval.

I think I'd rather like having ex-Gurkhas as neighbours. We owe these people a moral debt and it's about time we started to do the decent thing.

Ronnie

April 27th, 2009 11:18am Report this comment

Prehaps the Gurkhas would get on better with the Home Office if they promised to preach anti-western hatred in public, at least once a week, as a condition of their residency.

anjali

April 29th, 2009 12:00pm Report this comment

May be govt.would allow more of the terroist and muslims sucide bomers or illegal immigrants who r always after destroying the nation.Gurkhas r always there for this country and some r still dying in Afgan.They r the bravest,honest,loyal people to deserve what they've done for this country.Have u ever heard gurkhas commiting a crime against britain." NO NEVER " Instead they r still dying now and forever.

ubinpoon

June 16th, 2009 9:51am Report this comment

why the son or dauhter stay in nepal? all his or her family in settled in uk but why the uk goverment look and not geeting vissa or settled in uk for his son or daughter? why why why only far from his family!!!!!!!!!!!!!!is it right???????????

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