Gurkha Justice: The Gurkha Citizenship and Pension Campaign

It's an ongoing disgrace: Gurkhas who retired from the British Army after 1997 can automatically stay in the UK, but those who retired earlier must apply, and many have been refused and face deportation. Pension rights for years served by Gurkhas before 1997 count at only around a quarter of the level of years served after that time.

In March 2008, fifty Nepalese soldiers handed back their Long Service and Good Conduct medals in protest at the difference in treatment of Gurkhas with other British soldiers, such as those from the Commonwealth.

Peter Carroll has campaigned with others for equal rights for Gurkhas since 2004. The campaign has won significant victories in that tiime: those Gurkhas retiring since 1997 can now apply for citizenship in this country and receive a fair pension for years service since 1997, but the fight goes on for a fair deal for service and retirements before 1997.

To back those who have fought in the British Army for our country, in conflicts including the Falklands war and the 1st Gulf War, please sign the NEW petition at the Downing Street web site now.

• Take Action Now - Sign the New Petition for Gurkha Justice

Recent News from the Gurkha Justice Campaign

• Apr 12, 2010:
  • Gurkha Friends Boost Peter's Campaign
    Retired Gurkha soldiers from all across Kent descended on Peter Carroll's Lib Dem Headquarters in Mote Avenue on Sunday morning to help Peter deliver his message across the town. Working in teams they delivered thousands of leaflets. Peter said, 'I was really touched that so many of these fabulous people came to help me. Many of the Gurkhas reported back that local people were really pleased to meet them as went across the Town delivering leaflets. For me, it was a wonderful opportunity to meet up with people that I had marched with, petitioned with and fought for during The Gurkha Justice Campaign. Hundreds of local people are helping me - but the retired Gurkha visit was a real boost to our effort. It was very heartening to hear just how many of the retired Gurkhas have found work and are now fully settled in our community. Published and promoted by Maidstone & The Weald Lib Dems 56 Bower Mount Road Maidstone ME16 8AU. The views expressed are those of Maidstone & The Weald Lib Dems, not of the service provider. Printed (hosted) by Prater Raines Ltd, 98 Sandgate High Street, Folkestone CT20 3BY
• May 26, 2009:
  • "A Marvellous and Historic Day" - Peter Carroll
    Joanna Lumley, Peter Carroll and retired Gurkha Dhan Gurung, outside the House of Commons, just after the announcement in Parliament. Peter Carroll, a leading member of the Gurkha Justice campaign speaks of the recent news that all Gurkha veterans who retired before 1997 with at least four years' service will now be allowed to settle in the UK. He said: "'This is a marvellous and historic day. A debt of honour has been repaid. I would like to thank supporters of this great campaign - particularly those in and around Maidstone. Every letter, every email, every petition signature and every message of support has helped make this victory possible". Published and promoted by Maidstone & The Weald Lib Dems 56 Bower Mount Road Maidstone ME16 8AU. The views expressed are those of Maidstone & The Weald Lib Dems, not of the service provider. Printed (hosted) by Prater Raines Ltd, 98 Sandgate High Street, Folkestone CT20 3BY
• May 3, 2009:
  • Government defeated on Gurkha Policy
    A Liberal Democrat "Opposition Day" motion to withdraw the new guidelines immediately and bring forward revised proposals that extend an equal right of residence to all Gurkhas has been passed in the House of Commons. The result was: For: 267 Against: 246 The Liberal Democrats and Conservatives have called on the Government to make a statement on how they intend to respond to the clear will of the House for a fairer deal for Gurkhas. Commenting after the vote Liberal Democrat Leader Nick Clegg said: "This is a historic victory for the Gurkhas who have served our country so bravely. "This Government has now lost its moral authority. From the first moment I challenged Gordon Brown on this over a year ago, he didn't understand that there was a simple moral principle at stake. "People who are willing to die for our country, should be allowed to live in our country. "The Government must listen to Parliament and scrap these shameful rules immediately and grant justice without conditions to all retired Gurkhas." The motion put by the Liberal Democrats 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 here; 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. Published and promoted by Maidstone & The Weald Lib Dems 56 Bower Mount Road Maidstone ME16 8AU. The views expressed are those of Maidstone & The Weald Lib Dems, not of the service provider. Printed (hosted) by Prater Raines Ltd, 98 Sandgate High Street, Folkestone CT20 3BY
• Feb 1, 2009:
  • Gurkha campaigners hit back at MOD scaremongering
    Joanna Lumley, Martin Howe & Peter Carroll with other Gurkha rights campaigners at the High Court in September 2008 The organizers of the Gurkha Justice campaign team have hit out at recent press stories that their campaign to get retired Gurkhas the right to settle in the UK will result in Gurkhas becoming too expensive and that they will be scrapped. The campaign is spearheaded by the actress Joanna Lumley and achieved a major victory in the High Court in September last year when Justice Blake ruled that the Government policy of excluding Gurkhas from living in the UK who retired before 1997 was 'unlawful'. Joanna Lumley said: "These stories that say letting retired Gurkhas live in the UK will cost Billions of pounds and be a drain on services like the NHS are simply MOD scaremongering. The numbers of retired Gurkhas that are likely to come to the UK are small when compared to immigration into this country. The MOD are making wildly exaggerated claims that as many as 50,000 may come. "The Home Affairs Select Committee took evidence on this matter last year and evidence showed the figure is more likely to be between 3,500 and 5,000. Let's face it, even in the unlikely event that the MODs figure was correct, all these retired Gurkhas have earned the right to settle here by serving and fighting in our Army. The idea that they will be a 'drain' on the NHS is offensive - these people were prepared to fight and die for the NHS. Many of them actually had money deducted from their pay to help pay for it. They have as much right as any British citizen to use it". Solicitor Martin Howe, who lead the successful High Court action last September, said: "This is a critical time for all retired Gurkhas. As a result of our win in the High Court the Prime Minister and the Government are at this very moment drawing up a new policy on the Gurkhas. It seems that certain parts of the MOD are trying to put pressure on the Prime Minister and other decision makers not to let the Gurkhas settle here by quoting vastly exaggerated costs many of which relate to pensions. "In his High Court judgment, Justice Blake specifically said his ruling related to the right to live in the UK and that pensions were a separate issue. The MOD cynically continue to exaggerate and embellish the likely numbers of Gurkhas who wish to settle in the UK. In February 2008 the Home Office, in reply to a Freedom of Information Act request, told us that approximately 1500 veterans had applied to settle here. In a letter to the Court in December 2008 the Director of Visa Services stated that there are 'approximately 1350 appeals currently stayed'. "We must remember that Gurkhas had been told that unless they made their settlement applications by October 2006 they would be prevented from settling in the UK. The true number of Gurkhas who may come here is a mere fraction of the inflated numbers being bandied about by the MOD. The real number including family members is likely to be about 3 - 5,000 and at most 10,000. The maximum number of 10,000 was a figure accepted by the Home Affairs Committee when it took evidence on Gurkha settlement in November 2008". Peter Carroll, who helped set up the campaign in 2004, said: "The British people continue to make it clear in petition after petition, demonstration after demonstration that they want the Gurkhas to have the right to live here. Let's remember that every one of the people we are talking about was prepared to die for this country. "Some of the MOD comment on this matter is blatant scaremongering. They say that the Gurkhas will be a cost. In reality, many of the retired Gurkhas will work here and contribute to the economy. I hope that the Prime Minister sees through to the heart of this issue and allows the Gurkhas to come." Published and promoted by Maidstone & The Weald Lib Dems 56 Bower Mount Road Maidstone ME16 8AU. The views expressed are those of Maidstone & The Weald Lib Dems, not of the service provider. Printed (hosted) by Prater Raines Ltd, 98 Sandgate High Street, Folkestone CT20 3BY
• Oct 12, 2008:
  • Gurkha Campaign Back to Parliament
    Actress Joanna Lumley has called on the Government to "honour our debt" and support moves which would allow all retired Gurkhas to live in the UK. Miss Lumley is due to join Gurkhas and Justice campaign co-ordinator Peter Carroll at the House of Lords on Monday, where a bill from Lib Dem Lord Lee which would see a change in the law will go for its third reading in the House of Lords. Last month a High Court judge ruled the Government's immigration policy excluding them was unlawful and in need of urgent review. More than 2,000 former Gurkha soldiers have been refused permission to settle in the UK because they retired before July 1997. The Nepalese fighters are now pressurising Parliament to implement new policy. Miss Lumley, whose father served with the Gurkhas for 30 years, said: "I will be in Portcullis House asking for MPs on all sides of the House to support this bill and our Gurkha heroes. The fact that the bill has enjoyed cross Party support in the Lords is a magnificent and hopeful sign. "I will also be asking MPs to sign up to our online petition at www.gurkhajustice.org.uk. The Government has a historic opportunity to put right this terrible wrong. Letting this bill stand will honour our debt." A similar bill has been introduced in the House of Commons by Bob Russell, Liberal Democrat MP for Colchester. Campaigners are hoping to garner a million signatures for their petition at www.gurkhajustice.org.uk and persuade the Government to pass the new laws. Immigration rules introduced in 2004 allowed retired Gurkhas with at least four years service to settle in the UK. But the rules only apply to Gurkhas discharged from the British Army before July 1 1997. The Bill, introduced by Lord Lee of Trafford, would allow Gurkhas who left service before 1997 to be granted indefinite leave to enter and remain in the UK. Published and promoted by Maidstone & The Weald Lib Dems 56 Bower Mount Road Maidstone ME16 8AU. The views expressed are those of Maidstone & The Weald Lib Dems, not of the service provider. Printed (hosted) by Prater Raines Ltd, 98 Sandgate High Street, Folkestone CT20 3BY
• Sep 21, 2008:
  • Gurkha Justice Court Case: Can you help find key evidence?
    Gurkha Justice campaigner Peter Carroll has issued an urgent plea for evidence to back up the legal team representing the Gurkhas in the current High Court hearing on the lawfulness of the 1997 'cut off' date for citizenship. The case received huge coverage earlier this week when Joanna Lumley and others gave their backing to the cause. The Gurkha's legal team urgently (by Wednesday 24th September) need to find an example case of a soldier recruited directly to the British Army from a Commonwealth country to disprove statements being made by the Home Office. Peter Carroll says: "We need to find a person who joined the British Army between 1962 and 1997 who was a citizen of a Commonwealth Country and joined the Army directly from his own country - that is, they had not entered and settled in the UK before applying to join the Army. "The reasons behind this requirement are complex. However, our legal team say that the finding of even one such instance would fundamentally improve the chance of victory in this case." If you meet the criteria above, or know someone who does, please email Peter Carroll on pdcarroll@cix.co.uk or call 07866 800755 AS SOON AS POSSIBLE AND BY 24TH SEPTEMBER 2008 AT THE LATEST. Even if you do not know directly of such people, please email this message to others and ask them to pass it on as well to anyone they think might be able to help, especially army contacts. The success of the Gurkha's claim for citizenship rights for those retiring before 1997 would be STRONGLY helped by finding people as above to disprove the Home Office's case in the next two days: you can make it happen, and help right this wrong. Published and promoted by Maidstone & The Weald Lib Dems 56 Bower Mount Road Maidstone ME16 8AU. The views expressed are those of Maidstone & The Weald Lib Dems, not of the service provider. Printed (hosted) by Prater Raines Ltd, 98 Sandgate High Street, Folkestone CT20 3BY
• Aug 19, 2008:
  • Peter Carroll takes National Gurkha Campaign to Cranbrook
    Lib Dem campaigner Peter Carroll took his national Gurkha Justice campaign to Cranbrook on Saturday. Gurkha soldiers who retired before 1997 are still threatened with deportation a situation which campaigners are fighting to change. Peter Carroll said, 'I was overwhelmed by the positive support. Literally hundreds of people came to talk to us and sign our petition. People are genuinely shocked when they realise how badly we are treating these heroes. For example, Cranbrook residents were able to meet Madam Gurung who served 24 years in the British Army, has an exemplary service record and is now threatened with deportation. He is living 'on the bread line' in Kent. He is forbidden by law to work. All this because he retired before 1997. Until as recently as 2004, all retired Gurkhas were expected to return home to Nepal. The Government then allowed Gurkhas who retired after 1997 to become British Citizens. The Government has done nothing for those that retired before 1997 and Gurkha pensions continue to be much lower than those paid to UK Forces. The Gurkhas are launching a High Court case to be heard on 16th September 2008 which will challenge the legality of the 1997 'cut off' date. Additionally, a private members Bill is making its way through the Parliamentary process which, if passed, would allow all retired Gurkhas to live in Britain after their service. Campaigners are hoping to persuade the Government not to defeat the Bill. Peter Carroll added, 'To add insult to injury, if a soldier from a Commonwealth country serves with British Forces they get citizenship after 4 years. How can it be right for the Government to turn its back on the hundreds of Gurkhas who have given us so much?' Published and promoted by Maidstone & The Weald Lib Dems 56 Bower Mount Road Maidstone ME16 8AU. The views expressed are those of Maidstone & The Weald Lib Dems, not of the service provider. Printed (hosted) by Prater Raines Ltd, 98 Sandgate High Street, Folkestone CT20 3BY