Gurka Residency Campaign Gains NI Support

Nepalase Gurkha veterans seeking a U-turn on a Government ruling over residency in the UK are enjoying support from Northern Ireland.

As well as high-profile backing from actress Joanne Lumley - whose father served as an officer with the regiment - one of the solicitors currently involved in the case, David Enright, is from Co Londonderry.

He has provoked surprise by using a slogan made famous by DUP former leader Ian Paisley.

He told reporters at the weekend: "I will take the words of a famous countryman of mine, the Gurkhas have stood by us or 200 years and will we give up on them now?... Never! Never! Never!"

Mr Enright said it was a real moment of "passion" and explained that his grandfather served in Burma in World War II, and had his life saved by the Gurkhas.

He has criticised new rules on the eligibility of veterans to live in the UK and insisted that it is too strict and will only apply to 100 veterans, rather than the government's figure of 4,300.

Mr Enright is a former colleague of another local solicitor who previously won a legal battle for the two Victoria Cross winning Gurkhas to live in the UK.

Ciaran McGuinness, a nephew of Sinn Féin's Deputy First Minister Martin McGuinness, successfully worked on the cases of Gurkha veterans Tul Bahadur Pun and Lacchiman Gurung.

An East Belfast DUP MLA, Robin Newton, is also supporting the campaign for them to be allowed to remain in the UK.

"Britain has no greater friends than the Gurkhas. They have served all over the world in defence of our nation for nearly 200 years.

"Over 45,000 died in the two World Wars as a part of the British Army. They still remain loyal to Britain," he said, noting that High Court Judge, Mr Justice Blake said Britain had a "moral debt of honour" to allow those who gave the best years of their lives in the service of the crown to remain in Britain for the rest of their days.

"The Home Office decision on the veteran Gurkhas is cowardly and the treatment of these bravest of the brave soldiers is one of dishonour," said Mr Newton, who is pictured (above) at Buckingham Palace - after receiving his MBE - when he took the opportunty to discuss the issue with an officer of the Gurkha regiment.

(BMcC)