Britain must give back what we owe to the Gurkhas - Nick Clegg
March 19th, 2008 by Defence Team — Articles, Welfare
Today Nick Clegg led a protest outside Parliament calling for the fair rights and better treatment for Gurkhas, below he writes about how the Government is failing these men and women.Â
When I tell people what the government is doing to retired Gurkha soldiers – they don’t believe me. When I say that the government is trying to deport people who served our country for their whole working life – they can’t believe it’s true. But it is true, and it’s a national disgrace.
Today 50 retired Gurkhas handed their medals to me in protest at their treatment by the government. These medals were a symbol of their courage and commitment in the service of our British Army. But today they are a symbol of their anger and frustration at the shameful way the government has behaved.
The Gurkha regiments are a vital part of Britain’s armed forces. These men put themselves in the line of fire for us. They put their lives in danger, year after year. They gave Britain a lifetime of service. And Britain must give back what we owe.
Many of the soldiers I met today are going through a tortuous process of immigration appeals, with the Home Office. They are living, destitute, in a limbo, never sure of their future. Forbidden from working, they are relying on the charity of friends, comrades and neighbours. It is a disgrace that the government has condemned our own soldiers to such a life.
The Gurkha soldiers I have met are humble, honourable men, who have never asked for much. All they want are equal rights, and the right to live in the country they served so loyally. I will do all I can to secure those rights for them.
Yesterday my colleague Lord Lee presented a bill in Parliament that would allow all Gurkhas who served more than four years in our army the right to remain here in Britain.
And we have tabled a motion in the House of Commons, for MPs of all parties to sign, calling for your right to live in Britain. I hope Parliamentarians of every party will join me in my campaign for fair treatment for this loyal band of soldiers.
19 comments ↓
VERY TIMELY! With the Gurkha Museum slap in the middle of Winchester and an ex-commanding officer coming to stay tonight, there will be much resonance in this town for what the Lib Dems are doing, both for the Gurkhas and the armed forces generally.
I met and used to chat these Guys on an Army base when I was a Cadet at School. Believe me, they are the most polite and disciplined bunch I came across and I felt proud they were part of our Armed Forces.
Before being relocated to Kent, one Gurkha regiment was based in my home town of Fleet, Hants and their popularity was highlighted by the public turnout when both sides of the street were lined six deep during a march-past through town.
Even the RAF saluted them with a fly-past of Chinooks. We owe them a great deal and they certainly do not deserve such shoddy treatment.
During my service in Bornio I had many resons to be greatful to the Gurka force present in Sarawak. At Bau Lake [ a flooded Gold mine] we spent many happy hours enjoying their fun and enjoyment of life swimming and playing ball with them.
I can’t give details but many of us Royal Air Force personnel on a hill in Gading owe our lives to their competance and courrage as soldiers in the British Army.
For several years I made a contribution to their welfare fund so important to those veterans home their own country for survival, their pensions in Napal are so little.
The whole situation with the tratment of these loyal and wonderful MEN small of stature but so brave and such an efficent fighting machine in the most adious conditions around the world alongside our own brave guys in the field.
It is full time that H M Government gives to them what they so richly deserve both here in the United Kingdom and in Napal, the retired, the widdows and the dependents left behind
The attitude of our Government of these loyal, brave and honourable men is an absolute disgrace. Considering how many eastern european immigrants, with no track record, have been allowed to flood into our country, I think the Government should explain the reasons for their shoddy treatment of the Gurkhas.
What an appalling way to treat loyal servants of the Crown. So typical of a Government bereft of morality. Let them stay!
Give them access to stay! For the sake of conscience, respect them!
The case for honouring the Gurkhas with citizesnhip is so overwhelming that the cynical dismissal of their claims shows that only a government without a vestige of gratitude would deny them.
These brave men have served and in many cases died for the United Kingdom for almost 200 years. It is time they were given the respect and gratitude they deserve from this country and given the right to remain here with the same pensions and benefits as any other British Service personnel.
I was lucky enough to briefly work with the Gurkhas leading up to the handover in Hong Kong, while my husband was serving in the RN. I have a great respect for them. They deserve much better than this. It would be wonderful if the Lib Dems could help them in their hour of need.
Governments past and present have demonstrated how little they regard the sacrifices made by those who willingly risk all on our behalf and especially those such as The Gurkhas. It is about time that a British govenrment stood up to be counted and did the honourable thing by allowing former and serving soldiers the right to reside in Britain should they wish to do so and support their widdows and orphans as we would expect them to look after those born in the UK.
I am so pleased you have taken up the cause of the retired Gurkhas. I was horrified to hear of the imminent deportation of those who retired before 1997, though I have to say, this is not untypical of this government!! After the case of the Iraqi translators, I suppose anyone of another nationality, however great their service to Britain, especially their armed forces, can expect such behaviour, though it is quite appalling. It can hardly enhance the standing of Britain in the world.
Though I would wish to oppose the use of force to solve disputes, whether at home or in the wider world, those who put themselves on the line, as our armed forces do, should be able to expect to receive in their turn the support which is their due, in terms of equipment to keep them safe while they serve in this way, the health care they need when they return, and the right to a decent retirement in due course, in whichever country they chose to live.
Thank you for taking a stand!
All Gurkas should be able to stay in Britain, we let so many people in who have done nothing in the past for us, it is so unfair. My father was a regular soldier who served for 21 years he could not praise them enough. This should be aconcern for all of us.
Dear All,
Thank you very much for your time for this kind and all the support to the Gurkha Campaign. Without your support it could not have been so much effective.
It was overwhelming support from all the Media Reps. MPs and all others yesterday. As English my third language, sometime, I confuse with right words in right time. Believe me, there are many Gurkhas who are even poorer than me at English so helping to succeed in many ways without your support is obviously far from imagination.
So, I request you all to keep supporting in anyway you see fit and can manage to get the Equal Rights and Fair Justice for Gurkhas.
Many thanks!
Regards,
Shobh Raj Gurung
It goes without saying (for any humane and what I consider ‘normal’ person) that this protest was essential. It shouldn’t be needed, it shouldn’t happen that a situation like this arises in our country. If it weren’t so very tragic and serious you would call this ‘extreme bad manners’ or an example of our ‘throw away society’ - these people risked their lives for the demands of past governments and we rudely ignore this generosity and throw them out now they have been used.
As angered as I am at the behaviour of our current government, I find some hope in the fact that what could be our future government - went out and protested.
Nick Clegg stood side by side with other protesters - as a leader should. It is so rare to see natural behaviour in a politician and the genuine, passionate stand that Nick CLegg took is yet further confirmation that I made the right decision when I decided to support the Liberal Democrats.
Thanks for continuing to be my voice.
Echo all comments especially Irene on our moral duty and Tina on Nick’s honest and passionate stance. Proud to be a Lib Dem!
Thanks Nick for standing up to be counted. This is a disgrace and should never have arisen. Check out the Daily Mail poll - 95% of people have voted in favour of the Gurkhas’ rights to stay in our country. So the British public moral sense far outweighs that of the government!!
Like Sue Shaw I too say thanks to Nick Clegg for standing up for the Gurkhas. I am also proud that I signed my name to the proposal document enabling him to stand in the leadership contest. He has always responded favourably to my concerns over our armed forces and their/our allies. If there is anything I can do to help not only with this protest, but for the Gurkhas locally in Sheffield no matter how small, I herewith offer my pledge to do so.
Well done Nick, please keep up the pressure. As the son of an officer attached to the Gurkha Regiment for 10 years I understand much of their plight and am ashamed at the treatment they recieve from our government.
Thanks for all your comments, and particularly the great stories of the Gurkhas’ bravery. We are really interested to hear these sorts of examples so please do keep them coming!
Rest assured that we will keep up the pressure on this campaign until the Gurkhas are treated in a manner that recognises their extraordinary contribution.
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