Local Gurkhas received three standing ovations at the National Lib Dem conference in Bournemouth. The Gurkhas had been invited to the conference by local Lib Dem campaigner Peter Carroll. Mr Carroll has been helping the Gurkhas in a nationwide campaign to get the right to live in the UK as citizens when they retire. The Lib Dem leader Charles Kennedy was present during the debate.
The Shepway Liberal Democrats are leading the campaign for citizenship for Gurkhas online according to leading search engine Google.
The Daily Express yesterday reported that the campaign to grant British citizenship for the retired Gurkhas took a step forward on Tuesday when Tony Blair hinted he may be ready to drop the ban on Gurkha heroes remaining in Britain. He promised action within "weeks".
Peter Carroll has launched a petition to help the Gurkhas in their campaign to be given citizenship when they have completed their service. The Home Office is sitting on hundreds of applications for citizenship from retired Gurkhas. Some applications have been under consideration for over 2 years. Only a few days ago, a retired Gurkha was deported.
For many months, a planning application on Dunstall Lane in St Mary's Bay has been causing huge controversy within the community.
Michael Howard's unwillingness to help the Gurkhas in their fight to be granted UK citizenship has been slammed as "simply outrageous" by local Lib Dem campaigner Peter Carroll who is the challenger to Michael Howard in his Folkestone seat.
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