Gurkhas regiment 'under threat' claims MP
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Kent's Gurkhas could be facing a fresh fight for their survival
today after an MP claimed they're set to be axed.
Tory MP Patrick Mercer, a former army officer, reportedly
claimed the government is planning to disband one of the Army's
oldest regiments.
Chancellor George Osborne has ordered the Ministry of Defence to
make cuts of between 10 and 20 per cent of its £36.9 billion
budget.
And it's feared this could spell the end of operations for
the 1st Battalion Royal Gurkha Rifles based in Folkestone.
However, the MoD has dismissed the claims as "speculation" and
"entirely unfounded".
The Nepalese soldiers have been part of the Army for nearly
200 years.
Peter
Carroll, of the Gurkha Justice Campaign, said: "My first reaction
is one of dismay, I just hope the reports are not true.
"My view is this: you don't throw out a working relationship
worth nearly 200 years with these fantastic soldiers from Nepal
just because we're in a short term financial mess caused by selfish
bankers in the City of London and a government that couldn't keep
the books.
"I think everybody knows that sometimes in life, even when
you're trying to save money, you have to decide what's really of
value and make your decisions accordingly, and to give this up at
this time I think would be incredibly short term and a very bad
move.
"I have heard this bubbling away in the background on previous
defence reviews. I suspect it's more serious this time because the
financial crisis we're in is ever greater.
"There are some Members of Parliament making public announcement
that part of the reason why the Gurkhas are facing the possible axe
is because of the campaign we fought with Joanna Lumley to allow
them to come and live here when they retired from the army, and
that is absolutely spurious, that is absolute nonsense.
"The campaign victory that made the Government decide Gurkhas
could come and live here has very little impact on the actual
running costs of the serving Gurkhas.
"If you look at all the other measures about where will they
stick the training, if a hundred Gurkhas start nearly every single
one of them will get through that training because they're so
committed to serving the British Army.
"They're incredible value for money, if you have to look at it
in value for money.
"But it's bigger than that, it's about their valour and their
loyalty and their service, and not just the people who serve now
but those who've served in generations past.
"I think the British public will look at the government if they
do this and say 'that's a very bad decision based on very bad
values'."
A spokesman for the MoD said: "The Defence Secretary has made
clear that tough decisions will need to be made but the complex
process of a Strategic Defence and Security Review will be
concluded in the autumn.
"Speculation at this stage about its outcome is entirely
unfounded."
Tuesday, August 31 2010
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