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Ghurkas, Iraq and MPs' expenses
"May you live in interesting times" is an old Chinese curse. After last week, I know why!
The Commons rejected the Government's response to the High Court on the rules on Gurkha settlement in Britain. All Ghurkas who have served in our Army since 1997 can already settle here. Those who served pre-1997 can settle if they meet just one of six criteria.
The same is true of British soldiers from other Commonwealth countries. But the Commons voted for an open door for Ghurkas; the courts will inevitably decide that this must apply to other Commonwealth citizens too. 100,000 people could now come here for life and at our expense. This is not a sensible priority right now.
A lot of emotion flew across the chamber, in the press and in emails last week. It was this Government that gave Gurkhas the right to stay here, gave them British pensions when in Britain and doubled the value of their pensions in Nepal. Nepal will suffer if many of their wealthiest people leave to come here.
The debate almost overshadowed the end of the British mission in Iraq. Our forces will be home within weeks. I recently had lunch with three Iraqi MPs. I was impressed with their passion for their country, their ambition for the future and their thanks for Britain's support.
At a stroke, the Commons halved MPs' expenses last week. We decided that our staff will be employed by Parliament and no longer regarded as our personal 'perks'. Who else regards their employees as 'expenses'? We also said that every MP must declare all their earnings and hours of employment other than as an MP. Let me be the first: I have no paid employment other than as your MP.
Some MPs will have some explaining to do when they are shown to be part time MPs on a full-time salary.
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Weather for Buxton
Tuesday 07 February 2012
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Temperature: -6 C to 2 C
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