Gurkha veterans who fought for Britain have won a landmark legal battle.
Gurkha veterans who fought for Britain have won a landmark legal battle to be allowed to settle in Britain following a High Court ruling on immigration rights.
Six claimants representing Gurkha veterans in Britain won a judicial review test case against the government which overturned a 2004 ruling that excluded former Gurkha soldiers who retired before 1997 from settling in Britain.
"Today we have seen a tremendous and historic victory for the gallant Gurkha veterans of Nepal. This is a victory that restores honour and dignity to deserving soldiers who faithfully served in Her Majesty's armed forces,' the group's lawyer said Tuesday.
"It is a victory for common sense; a victory for fairness; and a victory for the British sense of what is 'right'.
The Gurkhas in this test case represented approximately 2,000 others who were refused entry to Britain because the government said they had failed to demonstrate 'strong ties' to Britain. The High Court judge ruled Tuesday that Britain had a 'moral debt of honour' to the Gurkhas, who had served Britain unswervingly for almost 200 years.
Prospective Conservative MP for Winchester, Steve Brine welcomed the decision; “I am thrilled the courts ruled that Gurkhas who want to come and live in Britain should be able to. They risked their lives for us and we must not turn our backs on them now. The message to the government has to be that we recognise there are difficult questions about pensions and housing but please find a way to make it work and do not appeal this ruling."
We must give the brave Gurkha soldiers who defended us the right to come and live in our country.”
The Gurkha Museum at Winchester tells the moving and unique story of Gurkha service to the British Crown and people over nearly 200 years. Visit them online here.