Absolute victory for Gurkhas

OLDHAM MP Phil Woolas and celebrity Joanna Lumley made up over a fish and chip supper hours before the Government’s U-turn over Gurkha settlement rights.

The Immigration Minister was famously pursued around a TV studio and press-ganged into agreeing further talks by Ms Lumley after she reacted with outrage to the rejection of appeals by Gurkha veterans to stay in Britain.

But after the Government’s announcement on new rules yesterday, Mr Woolas revealed the pair shared dinner and are now friends.

The Oldham East and Saddleworth MP said: “It was a very productive meeting. Ms Lumley has devoted herself to this campaign because of her father.

“She is a tremendous advocate and, if I need her to support my own re-election campaign, then I will certainly be inviting her to come up to Oldham.”

He added that the climbdown was not only due to Ms Lumley’s campaigning but because “Parliament had given their say”.

Last month the Government suffered its first major defeat by 21 votes, as 27 Labour rebels joined the Tories and Liberal Democrats in demanding equal residency rights for all Gurkha soldiers.

Yesterday Home Secretary Jacqui Smith told cheering MPs: “I’m proud to offer this country’s welcome to all who have served in the Brigade of Gurkhas and wish to settle here.”

It means Gurkhas who retired before 1997 and served for more than four years will be allowed to apply for settlement in the UK.

Diggle Gurkhas champion Peter Blundell MBE, the last commanding officer of The Queen’s Gurkha Engineers in Hong Kong, said: “This is excellent news. It’s a great pity however, Government did not sense the mood of the nation earlier.

“This would have saved so much time and effort in them putting forward, originally, a completely unacceptable proposal which would only allow a very small minority of these outstanding soldiers to reside in the UK after they have finished their service to this country.”

“The whole Gurkha immigration issue has been a disgrace and an embarrassment to this country.“

“Absolutely Fabulous” star Ms Lumley said: “I would like to pay tribute to Gordon Brown, a brave man who has made a brave decision. A great injustice has been righted — the Gurkhas are coming home.”