Dhanda and Drew betray heroic Ghurkas

Dhanda and Drew betray heroic Ghurkas

Two Gloucestershire Labour MPs, Parmjit Dhanda and David Drew, have been strongly criticised for voting against Ghurka rights in parliament yesterday.  Cllr Barry Dare, Leader of Gloucestershire County Council slammed the pair for “betraying people who have given their lives for this country”.  Both MPs spoke and voted against the proposal in yesterday’s key parliamentary debate.  Despite their efforts, the Government was defeated, with many Labour MPs defying the party whip.  Every other Gloucestershire MP supported the proposal.

It is not known how many Ghurkas currently live in Gloucestershire, although they have become a familiar sight in recent months, with a substantial number working as security for the Peel development at Gloucester docks.

Cllr Barry Dare, Leader of Gloucestershire County Council commented:

“Parmjit Dhanda and David Drew are disgraces to Gloucestershire.  In voting against giving Ghurkas the right to live in Britain, they are disgracing the memory of the many hundreds of Ghurkas who have given their lives for this country.  Today, at this very moment, hundreds of Ghurkas are serving in Iraq and Afghanistan – what sort of message are Drew and Dhanda sending them?

Some Labour MPs had the guts to do the right thing, and vote in favour of Ghurka rights – what a shame Dhanda and Drew didn’t have the moral courage to do the same.”

More information

Full details of votes in the parliamentary debate

http://www.publicwhip.org.uk/division.php?date=2009-04-29&number=104&display=allvotes&sort=name

Full transcript of the debate

http://www.theyworkforyou.com/debates/?id=2009-04-29a.890.1