The Gurkhas deserve better say's Alcock

11.25.00pm BST (GMT +0100) Fri 8th May 2009

Nick Clegg with Gurkhas

Following a week of "political farce" for the Government which saw Home Office Minister and Oldham MP Phil Woolas handing out further concessions to the Gurkhas on the hoof, Oldham West & Royton Parliamentary spokesperson Mark Alcock is calling on Gordon Brown to now do the right thing.

Under pressure from actress and Gurkha champion Joanna Lumley, Oldham MP Phil Woolas' lamentable performance showed just how out of touch he is with public opinion, say the Lib Dems.

Mark Alcock, said the latest row over letters sent out by the Home Office to five Gurkhas refusing them residency was a "betrayal".

Mark said: "It is astonishing that the Home Office sends out rejection letters to decorated Gurkha heroes of the Falklands the day after the Prime Minister says that he is taking personal charge of the issue.

"The Gurkhas have fought for this country and many have died or been injured, yet this government will not let them live here, but they will let footballers who earn thousands of pounds a week to become British citizens after playing football and earning in many cases millions of pounds after five years, this is wrong, the Gurkhas have to be allowed to live here".

"At worst, this is a betrayal and at best it is a monumental shambles where one arm of Government does not know what the other is doing.

"How long will it take the Prime Minister to understand the moral principle backed by the public and the Commons, namely that if you are good enough to fight and die for this country, then you are good enough to live in it.

"This Government has now lost its moral authority. From the first moment Nick Clegg challenged Gordon Brown on this over a year ago, he didn't understand that there was a simple moral principle at stake.

"This highlights that not only is Gordon Brown's political radar out of touch with public feeling but many of his ministerial team are losing their grip and running out of steam."