Dan Byles' Fury over local MPs' anti-Gurkha vote

Local campaigners for a fair deal for Gurkha veterans today expressed their fury at North Warwickshire & Bedworth Labour MP Mike O’Brien, for voting against a motion that would allow Gurkha veterans and their families to settle in Britain. In a surprise result the Government lost the vote, after 27 Labour rebels joined Conservative and Liberal Democrat MPs in supporting the motion.

The vote was held after widespread anger earlier in the week when the Government published a highly restrictive set of criteria for Gurkhas wishing to settle in the UK, which critics said would only allow 100 or so veterans to qualify. The Government has now agreed to look again at the proposals.

Speaking after the Commons votes, former soldier and Parliamentary Candidate for North Warwickshire & Bedworth Dan Byles said: “I am delighted at the outcome of this vote, which shows that the House of Commons still has the honour and integrity to do the right thing when it matters. We saw Conservatives and Liberal Democrats come together to fight for what is right, and I’d like to pay tribute to the twenty seven Labour MPs who showed that they still have a conscience by voting for this motion.

“Sadly our local Labour MP, Mike O’Brien, was not one of them. He voted against giving Gurkhas the right to settle here. Why he felt the need to do so, you would have to ask him. I need to be careful what I say, as in the past when I have criticised Mr O’Brien for his voting record in Parliament (such as for voting against a referendum on the EU Treaty and for voting to close Post Offices) he has responded by accusing me of some sort of personal attack on him. This is not an attack on Mr O’Brien – it is an attack on his voting record in the House of Commons. It is a record he should be ashamed of, and I know that many people in North Warwickshire and Bedworth no longer feel that he is representing them or their views.

“The decision by the Government to oppose a motion that would allow Gurkhas who have served Britain loyally to settle here, and to oppose it with a three line whip, shows just how out of touch this Government is with the opinions and the values of ordinary British people.

“While this vote is very welcome, the campaign is not over. The government has a history of ignoring votes and court rulings that it doesn’t like, so until Brown backs down and stops kicking our brave and loyal Gurkha veterans in the teeth, we will continue to fight for a fair deal for them and their families.”