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| Concessions made on Gurkha rules | Concessions made on Gurkha rules |
| (20 minutes later) | |
| Two concessions on the right of former Gurkhas to settle in the UK have been made by the government in an effort to avert a potential Commons defeat. | Two concessions on the right of former Gurkhas to settle in the UK have been made by the government in an effort to avert a potential Commons defeat. |
| Ministers have promised to start a review of rules by the summer - and said veterans would not be deported. | |
| Gordon Brown came under fire at PM's questions from Tory leader David Cameron and Lib Dem leader Nick Clegg, who called the policy "shameful". | |
| Many Labour MPs were expected to rebel in a vote but are now expected to now. | |
| In a letter to rebels Home Secretary Jacqui Smith said she "cannot foresee any circumstances" under which Gurkha veterans would be deported . | |
| The BBC understands Labour rebel MPs have welcomed the move, making it more likely the government will win Wednesday's vote in a Liberal Democrat-led debate. | The BBC understands Labour rebel MPs have welcomed the move, making it more likely the government will win Wednesday's vote in a Liberal Democrat-led debate. |
| Some 36,000 former Gurkhas have been denied residency because they served in the British army before 1997. | Some 36,000 former Gurkhas have been denied residency because they served in the British army before 1997. |
| Ministers had introduced new rules allowing more soldiers to settle here based on long service, medals received, and those injured in battle. | |
| The Home Office said that new rules would allow about 4,300 more to settle, but the Gurkha Justice Campaign said it would be just 100. | |
| Earlier Mr Clegg, whose party has been campaigning on the issue, told the prime minister that the limit on former Gurkhas was "shameful" adding: "If someone is prepared to die for this country, surely they deserve to live in this country." | |
| Tory leader David Cameron also said recent changes to the settlement rules were "too restrictive" and did not honour the obligation to the soldiers or have public support. | |
| Mr Brown said that while he wanted "justice" for the Gurkhas, any change in policy had to be affordable. | |
| But later, in a letter to Labour MP Martin Salter, Home Secretary Jacqui Smith said she would "begin work" on a review of further policy changes before the summer recess. | |
| She also said the 1,350 individuals who had outstanding applications for settlement would receive an answer by 11 June. | |
| While they would be considered on a case-by-case basis, she added: "I cannot foresee circumstances in which these honourable men, who have served the UK so well, would ever be removed from the UK." | |
| Opening the Lib Dem-led debate, party home affairs spokesman Chris Huhne said government arguments about too many people coming to the UK if rules are relaxed was "nonsense on stilts. It is based on nothing at all... | |
| "It is fantasy to suppose that more than a fraction will want to settle in the UK." | |
| The Conservatives have confirmed they will support the Lib Dem motion while some Labour MPs had been expected to back it. | |
| The home affairs select committee, whose members come from across the parties, had also tabled a separate motion attacking the "unnecessarily restrictive, morally wrong and offensive" restrictions although this is unlikely to be voted on. |