News

Gerald Howarth said the influx of Nepalese was of "grave concern"
advertisement

Towns 'overwhelmed' by Nepalese, MP claims

By Pete Castle
January 27, 2011

PUBLIC services are in danger of being "overwhelmed" by a recent influx of Nepalese immigrants, according to the area’s MP.

Gerald Howarth, who represents Aldershot and Farnborough in Parliament, has made an extraordinary plea to the prime minister to deal with an issue he said was of "grave concern" in the area.

In a letter sent to David Cameron on Tuesday, Mr Howarth said the problem related to the inward migration of Nepalese people as a result of the 2009 High Court ruling that gave all Gurkhas the right to settle in the UK with their dependants.

“This has had a very significant impact over a very short period of time and it is now estimated that 10% of the borough of Rushmoor’s population of approximately 90,000 is Nepalese,” said Mr Howarth in the letter.

Chhatra Rai, general secretary of the British Gurkha Welfare Society, whose headquarters are in Farnborough, said that while there were problems, Mr Howarth’s intervention was "unhelpful" and could set back efforts to help new arrivals settle.

For more on this story, see this week's News & Mail, out on Friday, January 28.

| View Comments (130)

« Previous Story | Next Story »

We are no longer accepting comments on this article.

Most recent user comments 15 of 130

1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | ... | 9 | Next Page Show 15 | 25 | 50 per page

To unhappy now disgusted, I would think it highly unlikely that all the 'older' Nepalese people have earned the right to be here dont you,ie,served for our forces?Anyway,the real point is where do we stop with immigration,again,I bring you back to my original point,the standard of living and services in this area and across the country is going down,why,because there are too many people in the country,end of,Regardless of their ethnicity,colour of skin,people like you will only be happy when Britain officially becomes a Thrid world country! By the way,what difference does doing a collection outside ASDA make,my original point was about the stretch on services in this area,do you not think that an influx of 9,000 people will have a negative effect on schools,housing and the NHS????

gaz farnborough
22/05/2011 at 10:55

these ghurka's should not have the rights over our own people.my son wants to come home from America and bring his wife home to England but our embassy say he has to have £15000-00 in the bank or both have a job to come to,you tell me who will employ them not seeing them or an interview.my son has had no work out in usa and needs to come home these ghurkas get our state pension when not paid into it court allowed them to stay and next parrents grand parrents come and were given them money for nothing.i've been e-mailing our MP but dont seem to be getting any where my is intitled to be here and his wife more than they are just dont what i can do.we are born and bread ENGLISH so why cant he bring his wife

Jean Wright, Aldershot
02/04/2011 at 09:18

"""""Typically, you ignore the GOOD they have already done. They are no different from any other pensioners - enjoying retirement after a life of putting into the system.

unhappy (now disgusted)"""""

Even assuming that these pensioners you are referring to are genuine ex-British Army Gurkha soldiers and not simply claiming to be; receiving an immediate pension after the normal 15 years qualifying service hardly counts as a life of putting into the system.

Taff Rail
16/02/2011 at 23:33

"""""Unhappy now disgusted, You really are the village fool.

Just because people oppose mass uncontrolled immigration, its does not make them a BNP fan or some sort of Nazi.

You are the typical Leftie, calling names and branding decent people just because they dare to have a different opinion to you. doormon, Aldershot"""""

Mr Disappointed has clearly demonstrated that faced with someone with a knowledge of Gurkhas beyond the myth, he is at a loss. I'm sure you are aware of how he has constantly avoided answering the questions put to him.

The tactic of shouting down those with opposing views, so well used in the 'Gurkha Justice campaign', though obviously still being attempted, no longer works.

The old rhetoric, swallowed wholesale by the legion of Joanna supporters, falls upon fewer gullible ears now that the realities of that campaign have become evident.

Someday, some enterprising author will write the truth of that campaign and there will be a good few surprises, believe me.

Taff Rail
16/02/2011 at 15:48

@gary udal

Typically biased ignorant comments.

"Take a walk around ASDA in Farnborough and Princesmead and Aldershot anytime of the day and you will see Nepalese OAP's simply sitting around doing nothing,how can this be good for our economy ??? "

Typically, you ignore the GOOD they have already done. They are no different from any other pensioners - enjoying retirement after a life of putting into the system.

You also IGNORED the yet another Gurkha soldier raising money for charity outside ASDA a few weeks ago!!!

unhappy (now disgusted)
16/02/2011 at 12:24

I can imagine old unhappy now disgusted pouring beer into a pint glass.

As the beer reaches the top of the glass, he does not slow down he / she just keeps pouring the beer until it overflows and goes all over the floor, and still keeps pouring and then cant work out where the mess on the table and all over the floor has come from.

PS – 1 pint is = to 568.261485 millilitres……Just in case the EU thought police try to charge me with a crime for not using a metric volume.

doormon, Aldershot
16/02/2011 at 11:00

Simple why don't all us Bristish move out of uk - because the way it is going in Rushmoor and the uk we will be out numbered in our own country.

I don't mean to be rude but I allways thought we in the uk had freedom of speech - but it certainly does not look that way we only have to say the wrong thing against a foreign person that comes to our country and we are called racist, but when its the other way round we are told just to go away and get on with it.

Aldershot Born
16/02/2011 at 10:28

@doormon,

"Just because people oppose mass uncontrolled immigration, its does not make them a BNP fan or some sort of Nazi."

What ''mass uncontrolled immigration"?

I don't call Gurkhas who have given more than you and your ilk will ever exercising their right to settle here or demand justice.

As for name calling it is CLEAR that has been by you and your cohorts given you have failed to present credible arguments.

Equally you and your cohorts have demonstrated by your own words you are the fools!!!! ;-))

unhappy (now disgusted)
15/02/2011 at 21:08

Typical of modern Britain that comments like Mr Howarths are percieved as racist,all he is doing is stating the facts,I have lived in Farnborough all my life and am amazed at the immigration levels over the last couple of years,cant people see that if you keep increasing a towns,and lets be honest,a Countrys population,sooner or later it will have an adverse effect on schools,the NHS,and indeed all services,all over the country there are massive areas that,to put it bluntly,are overrun with immigrants and resources are stretched to the limit,this is not necessarily the migrants fault as all they are doing is trying to make a better life for themselves but when will the politicians see that Britain simply cannot take anymore,we are full to the limit !!! This issue is not about colour of skin it is about trying to keep a decent standard of living in the country we live in ! The Gurkhas,in my view,have more of a right to live in Britain than all the other immigrants,but not in these numbers and not in this density of population,please can someone tell me what good it does our already fragile economy to allow Nepalese people in their 60s and 70s to settle here???? Take a walk around ASDA in Farnborough and Princesmead and Aldershot anytime of the day and you will see Nepalese OAP's simply sitting around doing nothing,how can this be good for our economy ??? Gary Farnborough

gary udal
15/02/2011 at 19:00

Unhappy now disgusted, You really are the village fool.

Just because people oppose mass uncontrolled immigration, its does not make them a BNP fan or some sort of Nazi.

You are the typical Leftie, calling names and branding decent people just because they dare to have a different opinion to you.

doormon, Aldershot
15/02/2011 at 11:48

@Taff Rail

"It's not a poem, it's a quote by Sir Ralph Turner (ex-3rd Gurkhas). Let me give you a similar quote; "If anyone tells you he is never afraid, he is a liar or he is a Gurkha." FM Sam Manekshaw (ex-8th Gurkhas)

"Beginning to to see a pattern here?"

YES, as I told many moons ago, ONLY an enemy of Britain would use such language against the Gurkhas. That's why EDL/BNP will NEVER get elected - I am disappointed to say. .................................................................................................................... @Outermongolian - 70% of the vote thought Mr Howarth was correct ! urm 70% democracy has voted !

Why is it then the BNP got HUMILIATED at the May 2010 Gen. Election?

If ONLY we could have an election system just like this, whereby the BNP/EDL could vote as many times as they liked! Perhaps you could ask Mr Hosni Mubrak, un-employed former President of Egypt, who won 5 elections for some advice!!!

I TRULY wish Mr Nick Griffin, BNP Leader, could be elected as a PM. He could achieve in a matter of days, where Labour and the Tories have failed over the last 50 years!!! ;-)))

unhappy (now disgusted)
14/02/2011 at 17:04

""""On the plinth of the Monument to the Gurkha Soldier in Horse Guards Avenue, outside the Ministry of Defence, London, the poem reads:

Bravest of the brave, most generous of the generous, never had country more faithful friends than you.

Thus it is utterly disgraceful to not show GENEROSITY to faithful and loyal friends. unhappy (now disgusted)""""

It's not a poem, it's a quote by Sir Ralph Turner (ex-3rd Gurkhas). Let me give you a similar quote; "If anyone tells you he is never afraid, he is a liar or he is a Gurkha." FM Sam Manekshaw (ex-8th Gurkhas)

Beginning to to see a pattern here?

The English proverb, "Self-praise is no recommendation" certainly doesn't transport to Nepal- The Gurkhas are world class self-publicists and have been for generations, usually with accompanied by a great deal of creativity.

It's pretty evident that you are carrying on the tradition.

Taff Rail
13/02/2011 at 19:44

White Rhino...yes you are correct - in Aldershot we see no Nepalese teenagers pushing prams or drunk in the street.

The reason however is a very simple one, I would estimate the average age of the nepalese in Aldershot would be about 60 - I can't recall seeing many under the age of 40.

Great for our ecomomy eh ? - a bunch of pensioners (without a pension) who can work.