Gurkhas & Gordon Brown

[mockney piers]

fair point jeremy, and no idea, we've had long enough to get over empire shurely.

[Huguenot]

Mean spirited?

Possibly.

But I'd argue that it would take some delirious flower tossing hippy to imagine there's lots of colonials out there risking their lives for the Queen because they think our society is built from clouds and perfume. ;-)

[AllforNun]

Christ she's raving !

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/8031827.stm

[LegalEagle-ish]

I saw that and i think she was having a joke about the sneezing, i know i laughed, and she didn't exactly look very scary with the knife. They must all be a bit wet if Ms Lumley managed to frighten them.

[macroban]

My Dad had a Gurkha joke.

Setting: Burmese jungle

Situation: Gurkha captured by a Japanese soldier.

Japanese soldier: "I thought you Gurkhas were supposed to be so fast with your kukris".

Gurkha: "Look behind you".

[AllforNun]

She's bleeding raving ! what is it with these luvvies - so what if her dad was a posh Ghurka - my dad used to drive an ice cream van selling UK ices in Turkey, but they ain't letting him stay here......it's a bleeding liberty.

I thought it was a simple point the minister made " it opens up a possible legal loophole , precedant, of retrospecive access to the uk for certain groups, this could put a huge burden on UK public services and I need to make sure I get this bit right"

Get back into the TV studio love and make some more ABFAB, we loved it. And don't come down Barry Road brandishing that big ole knife.....loony tunes or what !

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/newstopics/politics/defence/5292166/Joanna-Lumley-turns-screw-on-Gordon-Brown-over-Gurkhas.html

[AllforNun]

hey what a surprise the good ol BBC put's Lumley - Old Maid of the BeeB - on the headline leader above the trivia that is the unprecedented 50 BILLION POUND boost to the uk economy.....not even a thing about Graham norton's new contract, what is going on with this mob they must be slipping !!!!!!!!

[Marmora Man]

Joanna Lumley is an intelligent and principled woman. Her articles in The Times some years back and other writings since prove she is far more than an easily led "luvvie".

Her father was a Major in a WWII Gurkha Regiment - his life was saved by a Gurkha soldier - posh or not that's a pretty good reason for supporting that particular regiment.

The campaign on behalf of the Gurkha's has been well managed and led intelligently.

To see J Lumley, yesterday, dictating policy on live TV to a glumly nodding Phil Woolas was to see a quick witted, knowledgeable and well briefed campaign leader run rings around an inept political placeman.

[*Bob*]

Listening to the radio this morning, apparently should ought to be the next Prime Minister.

It's easier to be quick-witted, knowledgable and well briefed when you only have one issue to consider. Lum had a spot of luck yesterday and played it well, but let's not start wetting our pants over it.

[woofmarkthedog]

Yo.... Jo-Lu

Big up YA sel'

*doesn't work really does it..........no...Mm, back to staring into the abyss .....more on the economy...tum tee tumm*

[AllforNun]

a lot of people have had their lives saved by a lot of people.

i sure if lum nuts came over peckham way and pulled out that big ole knife she likes to wave around someone would have to save her life pretty dam quick,

A it's no wonder someone had to save his life, he was probably riding around the jungle on a pennyfarthing in +fours and blowing a bugle !

[macroban]

Major Lumley (Right) in 1944 wearing his plus fours while fighting the Japanese in Burma.

[AllforNun]

oh well thats it then, he stopped amongst some rubble with a cashmere tank top ! must be true you found it in the daily mail !!!!

[macroban]

Chindit battlefield graves.

MacRoban

[AllforNun]

Which one is he ? and why is he hiding under clumps of Mud?

[Huguenot]

It's all bollix with a tidy corner of colonial guilt.

How many nations with Gurkha regiments?

6

Please stop this nonsense. Good debate, cheeky cheeks. Cuddly knives.

These guys go to war and die because they'd hang around at home and die. People die.

[Tony.London Suburbs]

Let them die in England's Green and Pleasant Land, or in Ireland, Scotland or Wales, if they can not live in Paradise....

[gerritsmith]

This government has lost it completely.

They chartered a private jet at a cost of ?80,000 to bring a man from Guantanamo Bay who had gone to Afghanistan to fight against the British soldiers. But they won't let soldiers who fight for Britain live here.

[Huguenot]

They don't fight for Britain, they fight for money.

[gerritsmith]

They do fight for money but they are on our side where as the the man from Guantanamo Bay was there to fight against us

[Santerme]

My father was a Gurkha officer and three of them carried him out of the Borneo jungle after he had been wounded, it took almost a week.

Subsequently, over a period of 3 years he had his right arm amputated almost to the shoulder, but otherwise he would have surely died.

I served 23 years in the army and had reason to be thankful for their presence a couple of times, although I served in a different infantry regiment.

British soldiers fight for money too, it is called a salary.

"As I write these words my thoughts return to you who were my comrades, the stubborn and indomitable peasants of Nepal. Once more I hear the laughter with which you greeted every hardship. Once more I see you in your bivouacs or about your camp fires, on forced march or in the trenches, now shivering with wet and cold, now scorched by a pitiless and burning sun. Uncomplaining and endure hunger and thirst and wounds, and at the last your unwavering lines dissappear into smoke and wrath of battle. Bravest of the brave, most generous of generous, never had a country more faithful friends than you".

- Sir Ralph Turner

I am an ardent patriot (as opposed to Jingoist) and I feel ashamed to be British at this moment in time.

Could our ZaNu Labour Party misread the public mood anymore incorrectly.

I have never seen a Party try so hard to become unelectable in the 32 years I have been able to vote.

These people as a race have pledged their loyalty to Great Britain and they hold our traditions in higher regard than many of those that do already reside under the shelter of our free democratic system.

[Tony.London Suburbs]

You've said it all Santerme.:)-D

[gerritsmith]

Very well said Santerme

[AllforNun]

Ok then here is the compromise Lumley Out the Ghurkas In !

walah problem solved.

AFN

[AllforNun]

also surely the fact that this law exists shows it existed under conservative policy too ?