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| Version 21 | Version 22 |
|---|---|
| Brown defeated over Gurkha rules | Brown defeated over Gurkha rules |
| (30 minutes later) | |
| Gordon Brown's government has suffered a shock defeat in the Commons on its policy of restricting the right of former Gurkhas to settle in the UK. | Gordon Brown's government has suffered a shock defeat in the Commons on its policy of restricting the right of former Gurkhas to settle in the UK. |
| MPs voted by 267 to 246 in favour of a Lib Dem motion that all Gurkhas be offered an equal right of residence. | MPs voted by 267 to 246 in favour of a Lib Dem motion that all Gurkhas be offered an equal right of residence. |
| Tory leader David Cameron backed the Lib Dem motion to scrap rules which leader Nick Clegg called "shameful". | Tory leader David Cameron backed the Lib Dem motion to scrap rules which leader Nick Clegg called "shameful". |
| Immigration minister Phil Woolas told MPs new proposals would be published before Parliament's summer recess. | |
| In a statement, he said: "The government respects the will of the House of Commons." | |
| He added that all outstanding applications for UK residence by Gurkhas would be dealt with by the end of May. | |
| Mr Brown's first significant defeat as PM came despite last minute concessions being offered to rebel Labour MPs. | Mr Brown's first significant defeat as PM came despite last minute concessions being offered to rebel Labour MPs. |
| Home Secretary Jacqui Smith had promised to start a review of the new criteria - which were only announced last week - by the summer and gave an assurance veterans would not be deported. | Home Secretary Jacqui Smith had promised to start a review of the new criteria - which were only announced last week - by the summer and gave an assurance veterans would not be deported. |
| 'Immense victory' | 'Immense victory' |
| The vote is not binding, but it represents an embarrassing Commons defeat for Gordon Brown. | The vote is not binding, but it represents an embarrassing Commons defeat for Gordon Brown. |
| The defeat comes at a time when he is facing criticism over other issues, including his reform plans for MPs' expenses, which will go to a vote on Thursday. | The defeat comes at a time when he is facing criticism over other issues, including his reform plans for MPs' expenses, which will go to a vote on Thursday. |
| It is the biggest Commons victory achieved by the Liberal Democrats since their formation two decades ago, and is the first time a government has lost an opposition day debate since James Callaghan in January 1978. | It is the biggest Commons victory achieved by the Liberal Democrats since their formation two decades ago, and is the first time a government has lost an opposition day debate since James Callaghan in January 1978. |
| The real worry for Gordon Brown and his whips is that this could merely be the warm-up for Thursday's vote on expenses BBC's Gary O'Donoghue Defeat spells trouble for Brown In quotes: Reaction to vote In full: The Labour rebels | The real worry for Gordon Brown and his whips is that this could merely be the warm-up for Thursday's vote on expenses BBC's Gary O'Donoghue Defeat spells trouble for Brown In quotes: Reaction to vote In full: The Labour rebels |
| There were shouts of "resign" as the numbers were announced. The Lib Dems said 28 Labour MPs had voted for their motion - although that is thought to include one Labour MP who voted both for and against the motion. | There were shouts of "resign" as the numbers were announced. The Lib Dems said 28 Labour MPs had voted for their motion - although that is thought to include one Labour MP who voted both for and against the motion. |
| After the vote Mr Clegg and Mr Cameron joined actress Joanna Lumley, who has been campaigning on the issue, and Gurkhas outside Parliament. | After the vote Mr Clegg and Mr Cameron joined actress Joanna Lumley, who has been campaigning on the issue, and Gurkhas outside Parliament. |
| Both leaders said, while the vote was not binding, the government would have to change its policy. | Both leaders said, while the vote was not binding, the government would have to change its policy. |
| Mr Clegg said: "This is an immense victory on a series of fronts: for the rights of Gurkhas who have been waiting so long for justice, a victory for Parliament, a victory for decency." | Mr Clegg said: "This is an immense victory on a series of fronts: for the rights of Gurkhas who have been waiting so long for justice, a victory for Parliament, a victory for decency." |
| He added that it was "the kind of thing people want this country to do". | He added that it was "the kind of thing people want this country to do". |
| Uncomfortable episode | Uncomfortable episode |
| Mr Cameron said it was "embarrassing" for the prime minister because his efforts to strike a "shoddy deal" with Labour rebels had failed. | Mr Cameron said it was "embarrassing" for the prime minister because his efforts to strike a "shoddy deal" with Labour rebels had failed. |
| He added: "Today is a historic day where Parliament took the right decision. The government have got to come back with immediate proposals so that the Gurkhas can have an answer." | He added: "Today is a historic day where Parliament took the right decision. The government have got to come back with immediate proposals so that the Gurkhas can have an answer." |
| Ministers should come back with immediate proposals to change the system, he said. | Ministers should come back with immediate proposals to change the system, he said. |
| MPs reject Brown's Ghurka policy | MPs reject Brown's Ghurka policy |
| Among Labour MPs voting for the Liberal Democrat motion were home affairs committee chairman Keith Vaz, ministerial aide Stephen Pound and former cabinet minister Andrew Smith. | Among Labour MPs voting for the Liberal Democrat motion were home affairs committee chairman Keith Vaz, ministerial aide Stephen Pound and former cabinet minister Andrew Smith. |
| Mr Pound said he had resigned as a parliamentary private secretary to vote against the government. | Mr Pound said he had resigned as a parliamentary private secretary to vote against the government. |
| Labour MP Martin Salter, chairman of the Parliamentary group on Gurkhas' rights, abstained. | Labour MP Martin Salter, chairman of the Parliamentary group on Gurkhas' rights, abstained. |
| He told the BBC he refused to support the government but wanted to acknowledge the concessions made. | He told the BBC he refused to support the government but wanted to acknowledge the concessions made. |
| 'Major changes' | 'Major changes' |
| He added: "It is the amount of abstainers that did it. Comparatively few Labour MPs actually voted for the Lib Dem motion but an awful lot of people sat on their hands as a way of showing their determination to finish this issue." | He added: "It is the amount of abstainers that did it. Comparatively few Labour MPs actually voted for the Lib Dem motion but an awful lot of people sat on their hands as a way of showing their determination to finish this issue." |
| BBC political correspondent Carole Walker said there would now be enormous pressure on the government to change the guidelines on settlement. | BBC political correspondent Carole Walker said there would now be enormous pressure on the government to change the guidelines on settlement. |
| She added that as well as the blow to Mr Brown, it was also another uncomfortable episode for Jacqui Smith - who has faced recent questions over her expenses and handling of a Home Office leaks inquiry. | She added that as well as the blow to Mr Brown, it was also another uncomfortable episode for Jacqui Smith - who has faced recent questions over her expenses and handling of a Home Office leaks inquiry. |
| Mr Cameron and Mr Clegg said the policy should be changed quickly | Mr Cameron and Mr Clegg said the policy should be changed quickly |
| Some 36,000 former Gurkhas have been denied UK residency because they served in the British army before 1997. | Some 36,000 former Gurkhas have been denied UK 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. | 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. | 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. |
| Defending the policy at prime minister's questions earlier, Gordon Brown said: "Since 1997 we have taken the first action to give justice to the Gurkhas. | Defending the policy at prime minister's questions earlier, Gordon Brown said: "Since 1997 we have taken the first action to give justice to the Gurkhas. |
| "During that period of time the first ever Gurkhas to have rights of settlement in Britain has been agreed and 6,000 have now applied successfully and come into the country." | "During that period of time the first ever Gurkhas to have rights of settlement in Britain has been agreed and 6,000 have now applied successfully and come into the country." |
| He said they had created equal pay and pensions for the Gurkhas and doubled the pensions of people staying in Nepal. | He said they had created equal pay and pensions for the Gurkhas and doubled the pensions of people staying in Nepal. |
| But he said: "We have got to balance our responsibilities to those who have served our country with the finance that we need to be able to meet these obligations - and not base our offer on money we cannot afford." | But he said: "We have got to balance our responsibilities to those who have served our country with the finance that we need to be able to meet these obligations - and not base our offer on money we cannot afford." |
| Ms Lumley said the campaigners were "elated" as they had expected to lose the vote. | Ms Lumley said the campaigners were "elated" as they had expected to lose the vote. |
| "When it came through we saw it on the screen and I can't tell you the sense of elation," she said. | "When it came through we saw it on the screen and I can't tell you the sense of elation," she said. |