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UK repaying debt to Gurkhas - UKIP leader

By Tim Harris
January 16, 2012

THE leader of the UK Independence Party UKIP, Nigel Farage, has backed the integration of Rushmoor’s Nepalese people, underlining how the country is ‘repaying a debt’.

MEP Nigel Farage, who will give a talk in Farnborough later this month, has underlined his support for the integration of the Nepalese into communities in Aldershot and Farnborough.

He said: “These are friendly people who have been terrific allies of the British Army. I think the important thing is the sooner they are integrated into society, the better.

“We are repaying a debt to the Gurkhas and we at UKIP have no problem with that. But we are worried that perhaps they are not being integrated as quickly as possible.

“These people, after all, have done a lot for us over the years. These people are our friends and our allies, and we are repaying a debt to them.”

He added: “It is important that we welcome these people.”

The arrival of a significant Nepalese community in Rushmoor in recent years, as a result of settling Gurkha soldiers, has created tension within the borough. Mr Farage said he believed this tension developed as a result of the speed of the influx.

“I think the shock is just how many numbers came,” he said. “I do not think anyone really could have factored in, in terms of numbers, just how big this was going to be.

“We have got to remain in control of this. While we want to repay a debt, we need to keep an eye on this and make sure the numbers do not get out of control.”

The Department for Communities and Local Government recently announced it would give £1.5 million during the next two years to help councils integrate Nepalese families.

Rushmoor Borough Council was the only specific authority named in the department’s statement as a recipient of the cash. Mr Farage believes this money will help the integration of Nepalese people in Aldershot and Farnborough, as long as the funds are spent in the correct way.

He said: “Public money always helps, provided it is spent properly. Provided Rushmoor Borough Council spent that money wisely, then it will help.”

He recommended that the council should spend the money on language and education, and said he felt communication could be the biggest breakdown for communities.

The MEP also stressed how UKIP would make a serious campaign push in May’s council elections, spearheaded by Rushmoor’s two newly-defected UKIP figures – Councillors Mark Staplehurst and Steve Smith.

In his upcoming speech at the Samuel Cody College in Ballantyne Road, Mr Farage will discuss defence matters, the economy and the situation with the EU. In addition to the Gurkhas, he will focus on cuts to the numbers of troops and the Military Covenant.

The talk will take place at the college on Friday January 27 at 7.30pm, and it will be followed by a question and answer session.

Visit http://nigelfaragemep.co.uk/pages/news-and-media/events.php for details. All are welcome.

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Everyone also forgets they are taking the uk to human rights - well I think we all should also go to human rights because we are not allowed to say anything out of place - we are suppose to just put up with people coming to this country and claim our benefits and everything that goes with that and we are just to put up with it. I am considering going to human rights as well as I am born in this country paid taxs and national insurance up till I became ill in june 2008 and yet expected to live in this country on no money at all. I have a disabled partner who has their own problems but is expected to look after me on nothing at all - they don't get any extra for me - and then you have this goverment and past labour goverment expecting me to live on nothing - but the doctors expect me to keep warm eat 4 meals a day - travel to hospital which is in london for cancer treatment - and all this on nothing at all, all our savings has gone but still no help at all. Where on earth is my human rights?

Aldershot Born
28/01/2012 at 12:50

krishna gurung - Do tell me where Brits living abroad have taken to the streets of their host countries moaning about the conditions. Generally I think the rule of thumb abroad is if you don’t like it…….....then go home

doormon, Aldershot
27/01/2012 at 16:23

at the end of the day they got paid for what they did, they get a pension, our own soldiers who are fighting wars that are nothing to do with us are getting a lot less for loss of limbs, death or mental health care.

tinks 41
27/01/2012 at 12:43

krishna gurung, your comment about there being british people working abroad is a smokescreen, it doesnt address the issue locally, as the numbers of local british people working abroad are far outweighed by the numbers of foreign workers in the same local area here. And in any case, who says british workers should be going abroad in large numbers anyway? - instead, they should be looking to work in the country of their homeland. Going abroad to work , (in theory) prevents someone from that country - wherever it is - from taking the same job/house/etc there.

RPW, Farnborough
26/01/2012 at 14:20

sorry to say this but why should we be nice to them accept them i know a person who got baly beaten up by a group of nepalease sorry but they are every where you look making the towns look over run and they take all the job and then all the family come over here why should the council get a grant to help them settle here they should be using that money to help people who really need who are on the street with no food and i have seen the eating the food and after they throw their food on the floor and just leave it there we did not ask them to help in the frighting they joined up what about the british army they would not get treated like this in their country and they even have a pension over here and benifit for the children and they even get their own churches over here bet we would not be wellcome if a load of british turned up there

deeuk2011
26/01/2012 at 00:41

what a joke by stevie68777..what abt those uk peple who work abroad..r they working free in those countries..god..dont think frm 1 side..i think u havnt step ur foot outside frm uk..please do try to see by opening windows frm ..u c british people all over the world..

krishna gurung
25/01/2012 at 23:17

It will be interesting to hear Nigel Farage speak in a bit more detail about this, I note he is coming to speak in Farnborough on friday evening (27th) Certainly, locally we are certainly aware that it is more about the sheer numbers flowing in from abroad that is causing the problems, Integration can work ,but not if its overwhelming pace.

One should also ask, how many Nepalese are wanting to settle here, and based upon that, what should be done to manage the situation, despite their service, are the current arrangement unfair to others?. I suspect the current policy - which developed through the courts and the legacy of those campaigning for a right to remain here, will be bad for all residents in time - in terms of access to service provision in the future, this view is despite government saying more money is coming to the local town(s) - as I expect based upon the way things are going, there will be more service cuts here soon, as the Uk struggles with debt and a fairly stagnant economy. Much of the economic woes we face is down to mismanagement and bad decision making by the EU to a large extent, with support from national governments over decades, and it is now coming home to roost. Indeed, whilst we remain in the EU club and pay our 50 million pounds a day membership to be told what to do by those who have a different agenda to UK interests, we are 'up the creek without a paddle'.

RPW, Farnborough
25/01/2012 at 22:39

Mai,

The Gurkhas have been fine soldiers, but whenever someone spouts of about them being 'Most Loyal', I'm very tempted to mention the documented times when the loyalty of Gurkha troops has been found lacking. The British (recruited) regiments have a much better record of loyalty.

Taff Rail
24/01/2012 at 11:17

@ Wonderlove ""Mai I would like to see you get up and do the job that the Gurkhas do they are renound for being the most loyal, most courageous and fittest soldiers of the British Army and have fought for a country that is not even theres for many years,""..... Been there done that and with Her Majesty's Airborne Forces who actually ARE the BEST, most loyal, most courageous, daring and fittest soldiers in the British Army. I am from a family where members of every generation has served MY country from as far back as the boer war. We dont hate any nation we just deal with those factions from nations that seek to undermine our way of life our families and our country. I dont hate the Nepalese but I do resent the fact that they above many other foreign nationals that have served these islands equally well have not been given the same rights. For generations the young nepalese have chosen/volunteered/been selected, to fight for money, no one made them, they have been well paid (in comparison to those nepalese serving in the Indian army), in the expectation that they serve and return to Nepal, there can be no debt it would be disingenuous of me to say they bolted to here because the maoists that defeated the nepalese army and now run Nepal were looking to relieve these men of some of their pay and pension wealth to redistribute it. Many as I do call them mercenaries, now they are at last being seen as a costly unnecessary addon their continued recruitment will hopefully soon end even though some have the audacity to complain about it almost as if they have right to be recruited. As for them being brave to come and start a new life here, well there are millions of people across the world that would love to have the chance, since nepal is the most impoverished country in asia bravery doesn't come in to it. Worst of all, we have now been overwhelmed in the borough and the arrivals come with many needs at a time when very many of our own needy are having to make use of services and resources that are being reduced across the board. Whilst we consistently donate to good causes charity really does now begin at home. We want solutions for this situation not lectures from the likes of Farage about what johnny foreigner across the channel is costing us.

mai
23/01/2012 at 21:15

What debt ? These men came over to the UK for better wages and now to use our system to bring their extended familes across from Nepal.

stevie6877
23/01/2012 at 17:28

Many of these comments seem totally to overlook UKIP's chief aim - that is to reduce the EU's interference in our law-making and to rein back our financial contributions to the Eurozone, which currently run at over £50 million PER DAY! Let's give him credit for that and hear what he has to say next Friday.

Barneydog

Terry Cartwright
21/01/2012 at 09:29

Typical do gooder bleeding heart, out of touch with reality. These Ghurkhas have recieved their 30 pieces of silver per their contracts. It is over, they deserve no more.

James @ Uralla, Uralla NSW
21/01/2012 at 07:53

THE leader of the UK Independence Party UKIP, Nigel Farage, has backed the integration of Rushmoor’s Nepalese people, underlining how the country is ‘repaying a debt’.

I understand repaying the debt to the Nepalease but Aldershot is the Home of the British Army and should be putting the repaying a debt to our own soldiers as well, my son in law is going again to Afganistan soon and has been fighting for this country for many years, also my own mother and father also did their part in the British forces and grandparents who fought in second world wars and other wars and yet what debt has our goverments had for them ! You only have to see the state of Aldershot to see what the British army has to come home to and has done for many years. This is dreadful and something should be done for all those who live and work in this town and not just a few because after all we should all be paying a debt to all our armed services. The Gurkhas new what they signed up to when they joined the british army they got paid for this got a pensions as agreed when they signed in the army and yet years down the line expect more - but wouldn't we all but we cannot all have what we want - try being a cancer patient not able to get any benefits or any help with council tax - expected to still pay it - and keep warm and eat healthy on nothing and tell me how to live day by day, I am white and born in Aldershot and uk and yet no one cares about people like me, but we are suppose to bend over backwards for people who fought in our army signed a contract of work and after many years after leaving the armed forces expect us to give them more - well I am sorry but this country hasn't got the funds to give more.

Aldershot Born
19/01/2012 at 10:08

“I think the shock is just how many numbers came,” he said. “I do not think anyone really could have factored in, in terms of numbers, just how big this was going to be."

For me, this quote by Nigel Farage from the above article, destroys any last residue of credibility he might have.

What a poor excuse for him being one of those in support of unrestricted Indefinite Leave of Entry for former Gurkhas and their families!

Quite a few people, including the much-maligned Gordon Brown and Phil Woolas acting on the advice of their knowledgable civil servants, both here and in Nepal, did know exactly how this was going to develop.

Unfortunately, anyone voicing a contrary opinion to that of the massses whipped up by Joanna AND company, was quickly shouted down by all the 'Gurkha Justice' crowd.

Taff Rail
18/01/2012 at 12:44

Your correspondents, who have written in opposing Nigel Farage’s comments and view point on the Ghurkhas in Aldershot, should consider the fact that UKIP did not create the situation in which Aldershot now finds itself. Conservatives and Labour governments have dictated the policy as to where the Ghurkhas were to be based. As usual there was too little consideration of the infrastructure requirements and cost that would arise. With the wisdom of hindsight it is easy to suggest that limitations should have been placed on allowing dependents to come to Britain. However, the human rights groups sponsored by the EU and it’s so called ECHR, staffed by people who are unelected and in many cases staffed by totally unqualified people would have had a field day at our expense. I assume from the hostile tenor of the comments that the Ghurkhas are little more than mercenaries, and ignorance of the fantastic bravery displayed by these men in WW2 and its aftermath have long been erased from British history. If UKIP had made comments similar to those made so far, we would have immediately been deemed to be racist and akin to the BNP. None of your contributors have made any useful suggestions as to how they would deal with the situation, created presumably by the parties of which they are members. The fact is that Britain is irrevocably a multi-cultural country and has taken enormous steps to try and assimilate new migrants from all over the wprld. Now that the Ghurkhas are here surely the commonsense view espoused by your own MP Gerald Howarth and by Nigel Farage, that more Central Governments funding for Rushmoor Borough Council would go a long way to ease the stresses and strains, is a sensible way to tackle the problem. There is certainly no need to vilify a very brave fighting force.