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| Version 0 | Version 1 |
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| Policy shift on Gurkhas expected | Policy shift on Gurkhas expected |
| (about 2 hours later) | |
| A shift in government policy over settlement rights for Gurkha veterans is expected to be announced by Home Secretary Jacqui Smith later. | A shift in government policy over settlement rights for Gurkha veterans is expected to be announced by Home Secretary Jacqui Smith later. |
| On Wednesday, Prime Minister Gordon Brown said the UK's commitment to the Gurkhas could be honoured "in a way that protects the public finances". | On Wednesday, Prime Minister Gordon Brown said the UK's commitment to the Gurkhas could be honoured "in a way that protects the public finances". |
| Campaign lawyer David Enright said victory seemed "a fait accompli, but we have had several false dawns before". | Campaign lawyer David Enright said victory seemed "a fait accompli, but we have had several false dawns before". |
| Some 36,000 Gurkhas who left before 1997 have been denied UK residency. | Some 36,000 Gurkhas who left before 1997 have been denied UK residency. |
| Details of the new rules have not yet been released, but it appears that these Gurkhas will now be allowed to live in Britain. | Details of the new rules have not yet been released, but it appears that these Gurkhas will now be allowed to live in Britain. |
| Before Ms Smith's announcement in the House of Commons on new settlement rules, Mr Brown is due to meet Gurkha campaigner Joanna Lumley at Downing Street. | Before Ms Smith's announcement in the House of Commons on new settlement rules, Mr Brown is due to meet Gurkha campaigner Joanna Lumley at Downing Street. |
| Ms Lumley and other members of the Gurkha Justice Campaign want them to be given the same rights to settle as soldiers from Commonwealth countries who had fought for the UK. | Ms Lumley and other members of the Gurkha Justice Campaign want them to be given the same rights to settle as soldiers from Commonwealth countries who had fought for the UK. |
| The Nepalese Gurkhas serve in a brigade in the British army. | The Nepalese Gurkhas serve in a brigade in the British army. |
| 'Brilliantly-fought' | 'Brilliantly-fought' |
| The prime minister suffered a shock Commons defeat on the issue, forcing ministers to reconsider existing rules on how many Gurkhas can settle in the UK. | The prime minister suffered a shock Commons defeat on the issue, forcing ministers to reconsider existing rules on how many Gurkhas can settle in the UK. |
| At Prime Minister's Questions on Wednesday, Mr Brown told the House of Commons that he had a "great deal of sympathy and support" for the Gurkhas. | At Prime Minister's Questions on Wednesday, Mr Brown told the House of Commons that he had a "great deal of sympathy and support" for the Gurkhas. |
| I'm not going to celebrate until I know for sure David EnrightGurkha Justice Campaign | I'm not going to celebrate until I know for sure David EnrightGurkha Justice Campaign |
| He added: "I believe it is possible for us to honour our commitments to the Gurkhas and to do so in a way that protects the public finances." | He added: "I believe it is possible for us to honour our commitments to the Gurkhas and to do so in a way that protects the public finances." |
| Camaigner Peter Carroll says Gurkha veterans are an asset to the UK | |
| On Tuesday, officials from the Home Office and the Ministry of Defence met Gurkha groups at talks hosted by the home affairs committee. | On Tuesday, officials from the Home Office and the Ministry of Defence met Gurkha groups at talks hosted by the home affairs committee. |
| Committee chairman Keith Vaz said he was "very pleased" with how the talks went. | Committee chairman Keith Vaz said he was "very pleased" with how the talks went. |
| Afterwards, the committee sent a letter to Mr Brown asking for all Gurkhas to be awarded full citizenship rights. | Afterwards, the committee sent a letter to Mr Brown asking for all Gurkhas to be awarded full citizenship rights. |
| But Mr Enright said it was too early to celebrate victory. | But Mr Enright said it was too early to celebrate victory. |
| "Although everyone here is celebrating, I'm not going to celebrate until I know for sure," he said. | "Although everyone here is celebrating, I'm not going to celebrate until I know for sure," he said. |
| Labour MP Martin Salter, who chairs a group of MPs calling for Gurkha rights, said the campaign inside and outside Parliament had been "long and brilliantly-fought". | Labour MP Martin Salter, who chairs a group of MPs calling for Gurkha rights, said the campaign inside and outside Parliament had been "long and brilliantly-fought". |
| "It has encapsulated the British sense of fair play and forced the government to look again at a policy that was blatantly discriminatory." | "It has encapsulated the British sense of fair play and forced the government to look again at a policy that was blatantly discriminatory." |