Thursday, May 28, 2009
British Prime Minister forced to surrender on Gurkha rights
British Prime Minister Gordon Brown suffered the latest in a series of setbacks on May 21 when he caved in to public pressure and said more retired Nepalese Gurkha soldiers would be allowed to settle in Britain.
Brown was forced to surrender after being outflanked in a lobby campaiging led by actress Joanna Lumley, whose father served with the Gurkhas.
Interior minister Jacqui Smith told parliament former Gurkhas who retired before 1997 with more than four years' service would now be eligible to apply to live in Britain. She said that meant up to 15,000 veterans might now apply.
Brown had suffered a parliamentary defeat last month on the issue, his first since taking over from Tony Blair in 2007.
To read the full article, click here..
To read the ePaper, visit: http://www.newsindia-times.com/
Brown was forced to surrender after being outflanked in a lobby campaiging led by actress Joanna Lumley, whose father served with the Gurkhas.
Interior minister Jacqui Smith told parliament former Gurkhas who retired before 1997 with more than four years' service would now be eligible to apply to live in Britain. She said that meant up to 15,000 veterans might now apply.
Brown had suffered a parliamentary defeat last month on the issue, his first since taking over from Tony Blair in 2007.
To read the full article, click here..
To read the ePaper, visit: http://www.newsindia-times.com/
Labels: Britain, british prime minister, nepalese gurkha soldiers, parliament former gurkhas, public pressure
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