Martin Salter the Labour MP for Reading West has added his name to two House of Commons Early Day Motions (EDMs) in support of the Gurkhas right to remain. The motions (numbers 1300 and 1194) call upon the Government to revise immigration rules immediately to allow all Gurkhas who have served at least four years in the British Army to apply for indefinite leave to remain in the UK.

EDM 1194, Indefinite leave to remain for Gurkhas,states that:

“This House believes that Gurkhas who serve and have served in the British Army are a credit to the nation and deserve the highest recognition for their bravery and commitment”

In addition EDM 1300, Gurkhas right to remain, contends:

“Given the exceptional service they have given to the UK, their ties to the nation should be immediately interpreted as sufficiently strong as to warrant their fast track eligibility for either the right to remain or citizenship.”

Signing these two motions comes as part of Mr Salter’s wider efforts on behalf of the Gurkha ex-servicemen; in February he opened the new offices for the United British-Gurkha Ex-Serviceman’s Association in Reading, where he also addressed their meeting and spoke of the need for a reform of their immigration rights, and in March he attended their pension and immigration rights rally in Parliament Square.

Speaking from Westminster Mr Salter said:

“I have personally met many of the Gurkha ex-servicemen who are affected by the decision to allow only those Gurkhas who have served at least four years and been discharged after 1st July 1997 the right to remain. These soldiers have been an active part of the British Army’s activities in times of war and peace for nearly 200 years and it’s time they got the recognition they deserve.”