Brown's first Commons defeat

[afleitch]

David Cameron, Joanna Lumley and Nick Clegg
'http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/8023882.stm

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.

Tory leader David Cameron backed the Lib Dem motion to scrap rules which leader Nick Clegg called "shameful".

Mr Brown's first significant defeat as PM came despite last minute concessions being offered to rebel Labour MPs.

Immigration minister Phil Woolas will give a oral statement to the House of Commons later.

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.'

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Thursday sees the MP's expenses vote, another crucial test for the government.

[k-onmmunist]

Huzzah!

[Silent Hunter]

Huzzah!

Right call on this, that's for sure.

[afleitch]

As for the rebels, there is certainly nothing for them to loose in voting against the government if they feel the need to. It gives them something to go back the doorsteps with over the next year.

[The Man From G.O.P.]

Fortunately and Unfortunately Brown is running low on time to be defeated in the Commons again.

[Verily]

Who is Joanna Lumley?

[You kip if you want to...]

Who is Joanna Lumley?

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[The Mikado]

Why would Brown be against this in the first place?  The Empire never had more loyal subjects than the Gurkhas.

[Filuwaúrdjan]

Sort of impressive that they managed to call backbench sentiment on this so badly. Not that I especially care in this instance (supporter of liberal immigration policies that I am), but taking your eye of the ball is never a good idea.

Btw, some of the undertones to the general debate about this issue (mostly the way that certain people have used the Gurkha issue to bash ordinary immigrants and so on) leave me faintly sick. But I'll shut up lest I turn into a pathetic parody of myself.

[afleitch]

But I'll shut up lest I turn into a pathetic parody of myself.

The next year's going to be pretty hard...

[Filuwaúrdjan]

But I'll shut up lest I turn into a pathetic parody of myself.

The next year's going to be pretty hard...

Don't think are likely to be many more occasions when it'll be too easy to mouth off in a crude and (probably) offensive way about a nasty hypocrisy (as I see it anyway) that seems to be rooted in colonialist attitudes. Even writing that sounds like parody enough...

If you think I meant anything else, I didn't.

[afleitch]

But I'll shut up lest I turn into a pathetic parody of myself.

The next year's going to be pretty hard...

Don't think are likely to be many more occasions when it'll be too easy to mouth off in a crude and (probably) offensive way about a nasty hypocrisy (as I see it anyway) that seems to be rooted in colonialist attitudes. Even writing that sounds like parody enough...

If you think I meant anything else, I didn't.

It's a simple premise. The Gurkhas could have been anyone, their race, their history aside the prevailing belief is that if you formally serve in the British armed forces you should have a right to live here (the Irish can) The whole 'recruitin the natives' doesn't happen any more but if we called on say people from Luxembourg to serve in our armed forces they should be given a right to stay here should they wish. Family too.

[The Man From G.O.P.]

So Clarke has left the bunker and fled westwards to surrender to the Americans.



Surely, for the love and decency of all that's political, Brown will go in the month of May.

Not that I care, it is hilarious.