Liberal Democrat Motion defeats Government

 LIBERAL Democrats in Aylesbury are delighted that Liberal Democrat leader Nick Clegg and the Liberal Democrats forced the government into an embarrassing u-turn on proposals to allow those who had fought for Britain to remain in the UK.
County Councilor Freda Roberts said “the Government’s policy of deporting Gurkhas and not allowing them to settle in the UK after fighting for our country was shameful. The Gurkhas are brave people who have served the UK over many generations. We owe a debt of gratitude to their service”.
The vote on a Liberal Democrat motion was held in the House of Commons on 29th April and resulted in a shock defeat for the Government. “The Labour plans would have seen thousands of Gurkhas being deported from the UK,” said Aylesbury East councilor, Jenny Puddefoot, “but the Government was defeated because a few concerned Labour MPs defied their party bosses and backed the Gurkhas who have so bravely fought for Britain. The Government has a moral duty to support those who have put their lives on the line to protect our freedoms and fight for our country.”
The Government must take notice of the will of Parliament and bring back new proposals that will allow Gurkhas to stay rather than have them kicked out of the country. Gordon Brown must have a change of heart and bring forward new proposals as soon as possible.

Notes for editors
• On 29th April 2009, the Government lost a vote on the following Liberal Democrat motion on the right of Gurkhas to settle in the UK. The motion read:
That this House regrets the Government’s recent statement outlining the eligibility criteria for Gurkhas to reside in the United Kingdom; recognises the contribution the Gurkhas have made to the safety and freedom of the United Kingdom for the past 200 years; notes that more Gurkhas have laid down their lives for the United Kingdom than are estimated to want to live here; believes that Gurkhas who retired before 1997 should be treated fairly and in the same way as those who have retired since; is concerned that the Government’s new guidelines will permit only a small minority of Gurkhas and their families to settle whilst preventing the vast majority; further believes that people who are prepared to fight and die for the United Kingdom should be entitled to live in the country; and calls upon the Government to withdraw its new guidelines immediately and bring forward revised proposals that extend an equal right of residence to all Gurkhas.