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Gurkhas win right to stay in Britain

By Europe correspondent Emma Alberici

Posted October 1, 2008 07:18:00

The Gurkhas have won their High Court battle for the right to settle in Britain.

Recruited in Nepal, the Gurkhas have fought for Britain alongside British troops since 1815.

Six claimants brought a test case against the Government, challenging what has now been declared an unlawful immigration policy which excluded veteran Gurkhas who retired before 1997 from the United Kingdom.

The High Court's Justice Blake said that the long military service of the men, their wounds sustained in battle, their conspicuous acts of bravery, their acts of gallantry and their commitment and loyalty to the Crown all point to an unquestionable historic "moral debt of honour" and gratitude which the ordinary people of Britain embrace and celebrate.

Fighting alongside the Gurkha in their legal battle was actress Joanna Lumley.

Ms Lumley's father served with the Gurkhas during World War II.

She said the ruling was a great first step but called on the Government to rewrite the law to recognise the Gurkhas' rights to live in Britain.

Tags: immigration, courts-and-trials, world-war-2, nepal, united-kingdom, england

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