I'll take no lectures on the Gurkhas
By Jim Fitzpatrick
I've always thought of this column as being an opportunity to convey a sense of the work and experiences of a local MP.
Certainly, I've not used the column for political point-scoring. Perhaps I've got it wrong, having read the Conservative councillor's column in last week's Wharf.
He attacks me on the Gurkha issue. I'll take no lectures from the party which was in power for 35 years between 1951 and 1997 and did nothing for the Gurkhas.
Since 1997 we have allowed settlement; paid full pension to those that settled; and raised the pension of those in Nepal so that they enjoy a good quality of life.
We're allowing thousands more with long service or injury or gallantry awards to settle.
And we've promised to keep this under review.
I'm happy to put our record on the Gurkhas up against that of the Tories any day.
Perhaps the Tories are banking on people having short memories.
What can we expect next? A column lambasting Labour for the pit closures of the '80s?
Another declaring it was a Labour government that presided over Black Wednesday in 2002?
A Labour government in power when there were three million unemployed in 1982?
Labour that let home-owners go to the wall during the mass repossession of homes in the '80s?
On these matters, I'm more that happy to get political.
Older/Newer
« Concrete Pencil: Stuff happens | What We're Listening To »
Read The Wharf E-Edition
Leave a comment