Clegg fights for Gurkha veterans to receive equal rights

3.00.00pm UTC (GMT +0000) Wed 19th Mar 2008

British Army Gurkha soldiers

Hundreds retired Gurkhas demonstrated outside Parliament today demanding the right to remain in the UK and pension equality with British soldiers. Gurkhas who retired after 1997 can automatically stay in the UK, but those who retired earlier must apply. Fifty of the Nepalese soldiers handed their service medals to Liberal Democrat leader Nick Clegg in protest. Nick will be handing them to the Prime Minister. At PMQs, Nick, holding up one of the medals handed back by one of the protesters, demanded all Gurkhas be given equal pay and pension rights as well as the right to live in the UK. Liberal Democrat Lords have launched a Bill in the House of Lords to try to change the law regarding the right for all Gurkhas to remain in the UK.

Nick Clegg said "They fought on the front line very bravely in a long list of conflicts - they then retired from the Army and they are told they are not allowed to stay in this country. I think this is a simply scandalous way to treat some of the most modest, brave and courageous individuals I have ever met."