London: Britain pledged today to review the cases of hundreds of former Gurkha soldiers from Nepal before the end of this year, after a High Court ruling in their favour.
More than 2,000 veterans, plus campaigners like actress Joanna Lumley, have waged a lengthy battle for them to settle in this country which culminated when the High Court said last month current policy should be reviewed.
Currently only Gurkhas who retired in 1997, when their base was moved from Hong Kong to Britain, have the automatic right to settle here. Other foreign troops in the British army can settle in Britain after four years service.
During the third reading of a bill in the upper chamber House of Lords which aims to change the rules, Lord William Brett for the government said "urgent action" was being taken to review all cases by the end of the year.
The bill was introduced in the upper house of parliament long before the High Court's ruling. But ministers still have to pass a law encapsulating the court's ruling. One way of doing so could be for the government to support the bill, introduced by Lord John Lee, the Liberal Democrat party's defence spokesman.
Lumley, star of television programmes including "Absolutely Fabulous" and "The New Avengers," said she was "hopeful" it would go through.
"The government has a historic opportunity to put right this terrible wrong. Letting this bill stand will honour our debt," she said. Lumley's father, a British army major, fought alongside Gurkha soldiers during World War II.
