Honour debt to Gurkhas, says Lumley

5:45pm Sunday 12th October 2008

Actress Joanna Lumley has called on the Government to "honour our debt" and support moves which would allow all retired Gurkhas to live in the UK.

Last month a High Court judge ruled the Government's immigration policy excluding them was unlawful and in need of urgent review.

More than 2,000 former Gurkha soldiers have been refused permission to settle in the UK because they retired before July 1997. The Nepalese fighters are now pressurising Parliament to implement new policy.

Miss Lumley is due to join Gurkhas and Justice campaign co-ordinator Peter Carroll at the House of Lords, where a bill which would see a change in the law will go for its third reading.

Miss Lumley, whose father served with the Gurkhas for 30 years, said: "I will be in Portcullis House asking for MPs on all sides of the House to support this bill and our Gurkha heroes. The fact that the bill has enjoyed cross Party support in the Lords is a magnificent and hopeful sign.

"I will also be asking MPs to sign up to our online petition. The Government has a historic opportunity to put right this terrible wrong. Letting this bill stand will honour our debt."

A similar bill has been introduced in the House of Commons by Bob Russell, Liberal Democrat MP for Colchester.

Campaigners are hoping to garner a million signatures for their petition and persuade the Government to pass the new laws.

Immigration rules introduced in 2004 allowed retired Gurkhas with at least four years service to settle in the UK. But the rules only apply to Gurkhas discharged from the British Army before July 1 1997.

The Bill, introduced by Lord Lee of Trafford, would allow Gurkhas who left service before 1997 to be granted indefinite leave to enter and remain in the UK.

Editor's Choice