Nick Clegg with retired Gurkhas
Liberal Democrat Leader Nick Clegg today welcomed the High Court ruling condemning the Government’s policy of deporting retired Gurkhas and called on ministers to now give all retired Gurkhas the right to become British citizens.
Nick Clegg said:
This ruling rightly condemns the Government’s shameful decision to deny these veterans the right to live here and gain British citizenship after years of service and distinguished conduct.
The Government must now allow all Gurkhas who risked their lives serving in our armed forces to become British citizens.
If someone is prepared to die for our country they should have the right to live in our country.
Please sign the petition on http://www.gurkhajustice.org.uk
October 3rd, 2008 at 3:46 pm
Having served with the gurkhas for 2 years ,during the Malay conflict 1949-52
I would think that these men have as much right as me to live in this country.
The government should without further delay,give them that right.
Ex Member 45 Commando RM
October 28th, 2008 at 2:01 pm
I find it absolutely disgusting that this governement gives protection to terrorists and criminals using this country as a hiding hole and yet, in sharp contrast, people that fought and risked their lives for this country are denied the right to live here. The governements treatment of these Brittish Soldiers has shamed our country.
It is only decent, that when the Gurkhas ask for our counties help, it is given without hessitation. Whether the Gurkhas are citizens or not, they should be welcomed with open arms.
April 24th, 2009 at 8:11 am
The French consider their Foreign Legionnaires to be children of France;
“Not by the blood that they inherited, but by the blood that they gave”
The Ghurkas are entitled to the full rights of British Citizens, why are the French so much smarter than us?
April 24th, 2009 at 9:23 pm
Can i just say my partner and i are extremely disgusted in the Gouvernment for not allowing Gurkhas who have served this country and in many cases risked their lives for our country the right to live here. We as a country owe them so much, but yet we allow immigrants to come through our borders to obtain housing, social security etc without ever having given anything to our country.
The experience, trauma, upset, family disruptions that these soldiers went through has not been taken into consideration and our heartfelt love goes out to these people.
The people making these decisions should put themselves in their shoes and wonder for 5 minutes what it was like and what it is like to be used and made to feel worthless. Again we are appalled at these peoples stupidity, ignorance, arrogance and lack of respect.
May 6th, 2009 at 3:53 pm
It goes further than that. I have a colleague who is a serving Gurkha Officer with over 25 years of service to the crown. He has lived and served in the UK since 1997. One of his daughters was born in Hong Kong (whilst still a British Colony) where he was serving. Having accompanied her father and the rest of the family to the UK (she has a UK “British National (Overseas) Passport) she has effectively been entirely educated in the UK. She takes her “A” Levels this Summer and has applied to 3 UK Universities. All 3 required proof that she was a resident of the UK. Two Univesities accepted that she was a UK resident. Warwick University, the university that she has set her heart on attending will accept her but they have decided that she is not a UK resident and that she must pay overseas student rates to attend. That will cost her father over £30k a year.
it is a unique twist that allows him a full British Passport only when he finishes his Army Service and yet his family have already been granted residency and have British Passports.
This protarcted saga has been going on for several months and had it not been that his daughter is set on Warwick University, he would have thrown in the towel long ago due to the massive time consuming buraucracy involved and his the treatment oif his family as alien.
With two other daughters following on behind he despairs at what may lay ahead over the next three years.
May 6th, 2009 at 7:01 pm
I find it disgusting that politicians can find enough money to pay themselves for second homes, expenses and other jollies but cannot pay for a few men who have fought for us with honour.
IThe labour party has completely turned me off politics.
May 7th, 2009 at 4:04 pm
I served with the gurkhas in the falklands in 85.
In this day and age where thousands of illegal so called students can register with a fake colledge or university and get a degree in this country then go on to get a highly skilled permit to work which means they have full working rights is amasing.a huge proportion of these so called students live and work in the south knocking on doors selling utility products for some of our largest companies.
This encourages the illegal visa trade while loyal soldiers