ABOUT TIME TOO....

Today`s announcement by Second Home Secretary Jacqui Smith that the Government intends to issue a new policy within three weeks concerning the right of retired Gurkhas to remain in the UK is not before time.

The nationality status of Gurkhas and their families has been an area of dispute for years, with claims that some ex-army Nepali families were being denied residency and forced to leave Britain. All this after the Gurkhas have lost countless lives fighting with the British Army for over 200 years and leading a High Court Judge to declare that Britain has a `duty of honour` to grant residency rights to retired Gurkhas and their families.

In a landmark ruling on 30 September 2008 the High Court in London decided that Gurkhas who left the Army before 1997 did have an automatic right of residency in the United Kingdom. Before this ruling only Gurkhas who left the British Army after 1997 were granted automatic residency benefits. Despite the ruling of the High Court the Home Office has been dragging its feet to such an extent that there have been demonstrations and wide support for the matter to be finally settled. I think it`s the case that those who retired before 1997 did have the option at that time to retire to Hong Kong, which was then under UK control. Not much of an option, one might suggest, when compared with that of remaining in the UK, where the Gurkha base at Folkestone in Kent has been established for decades.

So, today`s announcement is to be welcomed. What has not been as welcome is the delay in implemnting the High Court ruling amid Home Office claims that `it will cost money`and also the fact that there will now be yet another three weeks delay before the final policy announcement. And why? According to Jacqui Smith, it`s because she needs the time to make the announcement to Parliament first. Well, that`s a first in itself for this government and it`s useful to contrast the delay in this important, human issue with the speed with which MPs swiftly voted to ban their home addresses being disclosed under the freedom of information legislation. It seems it`s ok to protect your rights if you happen to be an MP, but quite another matter if you are a brave, honoured combat soldier fighting for a right which should never have been in question.