Gurkhas
Posted by Martin Horwood, MP for Cheltenham, at 23:39, Tue 5 May 2009:
Hello again.
After the embarrassing shambles of voting on our own expenses and allowances for a whole day while the world is threatened by climate change, recession and pandemic flu, it was a privilege to take part in at least one occasion recently that saw Parliament at its very best.
The vote to honour our debt to the Gurkhas who have fought for this country since 1815 was in theory on a Liberal Democrat motion. But it was backed by the Tories and by enough Labour backbenchers - defying their party whips - to defeat the government's mean and ungrateful position. Parliament has now clearly endorsed the principle that if you are prepared to die for this country then you have earned the right to live here - and not just if you retired after 1997 or had won a medal.
The government is still wriggling but Parliament has made its view clear and can ultimately force the government's hand. If we carry on like this, we might even give politicians a good name again.
Best regards Martin
Martin Horwood MP Liberal Democrat Member of Parliament for Cheltenham martin@martinhorwood.net
working for a fairer, greener, safer Cheltenham
House of Commons London SW1A 0AA
Constituency office: 16 Hewlett Road Cheltenham Gloucestershire GL52 6AA
Head of constituency office David Fidgeon 01242 224889
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Posted by Simon Dye, 07:44, Wed 6 May 2009: (Is this post abusive?) #
Hello Martin Horwood MP,
Good to hear from you about honour, but we are still waiting for new proposals.
In the meantime, what about your expenses, the ID cards, european red tape and increasingly invasive big brother surveillance?
More spin than substance,
Yours sincerely,
Simon Dye