Only one hundred Gurkhas will benefit from new rules

Gurkha representatives condemned today's government announcement.

It is significant that the announcement was made by Phil Woolas, Immigration Minister. It seems that Labour has done the bare minimum which they estimate would satisfy the recent High Court judgement in order to appease the BNP and its sympathisers.

Update: the BBC story is here.

See also "Clegg will lead attack ... in Parliament".

Update 2009-4-25 - Gareth Epps, Liberal Democrat candidate for Reading East added: "'It's staggering that any Minister from a party that claims to believe in equality can sign up to such a decicion.

"The Labour Government is now allowing settlement rights to former soldiers from Jamaica or Fiji, but treats Gurkha veterans as somehow less worthy. This is a shameful decision and I will do everything in my power to back the ongoing campaign for Gurkha justice."

The Gurkha Justice campaign site is at www.gurkhajustice.org.uk and you can also follow @gurkhajustice at Twitter.