A cause close to my heart (and my home town) is the cause of Gurkha rights. Spearheaded in many way by the former PPC for Folkestone and Hythe, Peter Carroll, it is a cause that needs more publicity.
Sure I'm going to admit that Mr Carroll is not only a Lib Dem, but is also the PPC I supported over a period of a few years with my occasional leaflet drops and doorstep canvassing. So I'm not really going to say much against him.
But the how can it be fair that Gurkhas who retired after 1997 get equal pensions with OTHER British soldiers (and let's make it clear they are British soldiers, just because they come from Nepal doesn't diminish their cause in any way) whilst those who retired before 1997 get one sixth the amount and face deportation from this country? It's not. Just because they were once based in Hong Kong (then a part of our Overseas Territories) and since 1997 they've been based in the UK doesn't mean their service to our country should be treated differently.
We're not talking here about residents of an overseas territory. These are people who weren't "resident" where they were based (Hong Kong is a fair distance from south Asia) and are still based in country away from their homes. Equal rights for all of our serviceman, past or present, NOW!
Still feeling shitty. Still trying to figure out if I like Second Life or not.
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