Lib Dems welcome Gurkhas

12.07.00pm BST (GMT +0100) Sat 8th Aug 2009

Charles Kennedy MP and Gurkhas

In May, Liberal Democrat MPs in Parliament put forward a motion which forced the Government to allow Gurkhas who served more than 4 years the right to live here. In June, Rushmoor Council approved the wording of a Lib Dem motion that "This Council welcomes the government's decision to bow to public opinion and the will of Parliament and allow all retired Gurkhas with at least 4 years service to settle in the UK, and looks forward to the positive contribution that any who decide to settle in Rushmoor will make the local area."

Adrian Collett, prospective Lib Dem MP for Aldershot has long campaigned for Gurkhas' rights. Lib Dems have argued that soldiers prepared to die for us should be allowed to live with us. He said, "These brave, decent people who have risked their lives for us deserve to be treated fairly."