By abstaining from last night's Commons vote on Gurkhas Rights, Martin Salter, the Labour MP for Reading West, betrayed the people he claims to represent.

As chair of the All Party Parliamentary Group on Gurkhas’ Rights he wrote to fellow Labour MPs urging them to sign up to the revolt. He said: “This is a moral issue and far more important then narrow party political squabbling. This is about doing the right thing by people who risked their lives for us.” Then he ABSTAINED from voting, betraying all those who supported him.

Thankfully other Labour Party rebels were morally stronger and the result was an all party coalition that defeated the Governments plans. The government lost the vote in the House of Commons by 267 to 246, the first time a government has lost an opposition day debate since 1978. One ministerial aide, Stephen Pound, resigned from the Government to vote with the rebels, saying "I couldn't look my Gurkha friends in the eye if I wasn't doing everything I can to attempt to match their contribution to our country with our support for them."

Madan Kumar Gurung, 57, from Reading, served as a Gurkha for 24 years. He said the result was a "historic victory" for the Gurkhas “I would like to thank the loving and lovely people of Britain from the bottom of my Gurkha heart. Having fought so hard it is a great feeling to know that my colleagues will be able to stay here.”

The Green Party supports Gurkhas and their families, Rob White put a motion to last years conference which achieved overwhelming support. Gurkhas have played an active front line part in the British Army's activities in times of war and peace for nearly 200 years. In this period approximately 300,000 have fought alongside United Kingdom soldiers, with the loss of 45,000 of them. Gurkhas and their families
should be given fast track eligibility for either the right to remain or for citizenship.

You can read more about this issue at www.gurkhajustice.org.uk

Adrian Windisch
One World. One Chance. Vote Green
18 Kent Rd, Reading RG30 2EJ.