Peter Hoskin

Government defeated in Gurkha vote

Good news.  The Lib Dem motion to extend equal settlement rights to all Gurkhas has just been passed in the Commons, by 267 to 246 votes.  Nick Clegg, too often a figure of fun in Westminster, deserves a great deal of credit over this.

By contrast, Gordon Brown positioned his government on the wrong side of the issue, and he’s been rewarded with a not insignificant rebellion by Labour MPs.  So, more bad headlines for the PM tomorrow and a futher erosion of his authority.  He really is just lurching from one calamity to another.

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