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Gurkhas take rights battle back to court

By: KentOnline reporter multimediadesk@thekmgroup.co.uk

Published: 16:21, 16 March 2009

Joanna Lumley campaigns with Gurhkas at the Royal Courts of Justice last year

Former Gurkhas will again be visiting the High Court, as their battle for full rights continues.

At 9.30am tomorrow actress Joanna Lumley will lead the Gurkhas back to the High Court to force the Government to honour the judgement made against them last year.

That judgment said that the Government’s policy of excluding Gurkhas who retired from the British Army before 1997 from the right to settle in the UK was unlawful. The Judge gave the Government three months to announce a new policy and to review all the cases of former Gurkhas in the immigration system.

However, the Government has yet to act and solicitors acting for a group of former Gurkha soldiers have returned to the High Court to force them to do something.

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Ms Lumley said: “The ruling on 30th September last year was clear: The way that successive Governments have treated Gurkhas who retired before 1997 is truly offensive and a stain on our national character. These are men who have served in the British Army, sometimes for 20 years and more. Many have actually seen active service and some have won our country’s highest honours for valour and service, yet the Government claims they 'do not have a strong enough link to the UK’ to have the right to live here with us in the land they have defended with such loyalty.

“The almost spiritual reaction to our campaign shows beyond doubt that the Gurkhas are loved and will be welcomed by the people of Britain”.

Gurkhas are Nepalese soldiers serving with the British Army.

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