First Gurkhas now expenses – Brown faces second defeat

Published on Wednesday 29 April 2009 22:41

GORDON Brown faces the prospect of a second Commons defeat in two days tonight, following yesterday's defeat on the rights of Gurkhas to settle in Britain.

The Prime Minister has defied MPs' concerns to press ahead with a reform of expenses, which are due to be voted on by MPs tonight, although his original proposal for a clocking-in bonus had to be scrapped.

If the Conservatives join forces with rebel Labour MPs to vote for a deferral of the expenses review until an independent inquiry has finished in summer, Mr Brown will suffer his second Commons defeat in two days.

Yesterday, the Lib Dems led a revolt against the government's plans to not let thousands of Gurkhas who fought for the British Army settle in the UK.

Mr Brown triggered fury yesterday when, at Prime Minister's Questions, he told MPs that Britain could not afford to let all Gurkhas who served in the Armed Froces live in the UK.

"For us, to guarantee 1.4 billion would be a very big sum indeed," Mr Brown said.

MPs rejected the proposal to restrict former Gurkhas' right to residency in the UK. The Commons voted by 267 to 246 in favour of the Lib Dems' motion to give all Gurkhas an equal right to live in the UK. While the vote is not binding, it caused embarrassment for the Prime Minister and his government, which has a majority of 60.

There were shouts of "resign" from the Tory benches as the result of the vote was read out.

In total 27 Labour MPs rebelled and voted with the Lib Dems against the government.

Lib Dem leader Nick Clegg said: "This is a historic victory for the Gurkhas who have served our country so bravely. This government has now lost its moral authority. People who are willing to die for our country, should be allowed to live in our country."

Mr Brown now faces another headache tonight when MPs vote on his proposed reforms of their expenses system.

A defiant Mr Brown yesterday hit out at jeers from MPs on expenses, telling them to "show some humility".

The Commons Standards and Privileges Committee is urging MPs to reject Mr Brown's proposals and to defer a decision until an independent investigation by parliament's sleaze watchdog concludes later this year.

Fears over damaging headlines over the publication of one million receipts in July is believed to be behind Mr Brown's rush to reform the system.

Angus Robertson, the SNP's group leader at Westminster, said the defeat on the Gurkha issue was personally damaging for Mr Brown.

He added: "The lead walls in the Downing Street bunker are clearly playing havoc with his moral compass, and he has been left looking entirely out of touch."

Meanwhile, in a further blow to Mr Brown, it emerged yesterday that a petition calling on him to resign has become the most popular on the 10 Downing Street website.

Since its launch last Wednesday, more than 28,400 people have signed the call which states simply: "We the undersigned petition the Prime Minister to resign."