This article is from the source 'bbc' and was first published or seen on . It will not be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/rss/-/1/hi/uk_politics/8060607.stm
The article has changed 5 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
| Version 3 | Version 4 |
|---|---|
| Lumley 'optimistic' over Gurkhas | Lumley 'optimistic' over Gurkhas |
| (10 minutes later) | |
| Campaigning actress Joanna Lumley says she is "outstandingly optimistic" after meeting Gordon Brown about the right of Gurkhas veterans to settle in the UK. | Campaigning actress Joanna Lumley says she is "outstandingly optimistic" after meeting Gordon Brown about the right of Gurkhas veterans to settle in the UK. |
| Smiling as she left No 10 she said she had to wait for the home secretary's announcement at about 1215 BST, but added: "It was a superb meeting." | Smiling as she left No 10 she said she had to wait for the home secretary's announcement at about 1215 BST, but added: "It was a superb meeting." |
| A policy shift is expected later. The PM has pledged to make a commitment but also protect "the public finances". | A policy shift is expected later. The PM has pledged to make a commitment but also protect "the public finances". |
| 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. |
| It is expected that these Gurkhas will now be allowed to live in Britain. | It is expected that these Gurkhas will now be allowed to live in Britain. |
| 'Excellent meeting' | |
| Home Secretary Jacqui Smith is expected to announce the new policy in a statement in the House of Commons. | |
| Ms Lumley, who has spearheaded the campaign for more rights for Gurkha veterans, said she was not able to say anything until then, although she said she had been told "we can smile a lot". | |
| But she was clearly pleased when she left No 10, telling reporters: "We feel outstandingly optimistic." | |
| I'm not going to celebrate until I know for sure David EnrightGurkha Justice Campaign | |
| Asked if there had been much movement on the issue she smiled as she said: "I think so ... It couldn't be a better day - we're trying to be tactful because we're not allowed to say anything." | |
| "It was an excellent meeting, generous, affectionate - I can't really think of the word... It was superb, a superb meeting." | |
| "Yesterday is over, it's today and the future now. We ought to go because we're in danger of telling you everything we know." | |
| 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. |
| 'Great sympathy' | |
| The Nepalese Gurkhas serve in a brigade in the British army. | The Nepalese Gurkhas serve in a brigade in the British army. |
| 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. |
| It was followed by an extraordinary piece of Westminster theatre when Ms Lumley came face-to-face with minister Phil Woolas in BBC studios and quickly won public assurances over future policy at an impromptu joint press conference. | It was followed by an extraordinary piece of Westminster theatre when Ms Lumley came face-to-face with minister Phil Woolas in BBC studios and quickly won public assurances over future policy at an impromptu joint press conference. |
| Camaigner Peter Carroll says Gurkha veterans are an asset to 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. |
| 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." |
| 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." |