During Prime Ministers's Question on Wednesday, Martin Salter MP asked Brown the following, Martin Salter (Reading, West) (Lab): Last December it was my sad duty to attend the funeral in Reading of campaigning Gurkha war veteran Bhim Prasad Gurung, who died in abject poverty while awaiting the outcome of his appeal against the refusal to offer him settlement in the UK. The Prime Minister should be aware that Bhim would have faced deportation under the new guidelines announced on Friday, as he was made redundant after 12 years of brave service and denied his Ministry of Defence pension. Will the Prime Minister be more specific about how quickly he will bring forward his promised 12-month review of the policy, finish the job that the Labour Government started in 2004, and deliver justice for Gurkhas at last?Later on that day he spoke in the debate on the Lib Dem motion saying,
Martin Salter (Reading, West) (Lab): I suspect that tomorrow will be a bad day for the House of Commons, but today was a very good day for Parliament. Some 1,350 Gurkhas will now not face deportation. An unacceptable policy put forward on Friday was disowned on Wednesday, and will be reviewed in a matter of weeks. Does the Minister accept that one of the most offensive arguments put forward was the assumption in advice given to Ministers—I have copies of that advice—that those Gurkhas will be on the dole and on the council housing waiting list? In fact, studies that we have done in communities with substantial numbers of Gurkhas show that the Gurkhas are working, are economically active, pay their way, and will make a massive contribution to this country.Clearly a man passionate about the plight of the Gurkhas right? I mean he spoke in Parliament on the matter twice in one day and his words suggest he was very much against Brown and in favour of the Lib Dem motion. So how did he vote?
He didn't even bother. He was one of those abstaining. Such a man of principle huh? He's even stepping down at the next election so its not like he had anything to lose.
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11 comments:
Obedience to Party has been a major cause in the hollowing out of Parliament. He clearly can't bring himself to vote against his Party but cannot bring himself to vote for his view (presumably because it was the 'opposition' view).
This reminds me of the prat Martin Linton.
What can you call a half-hearted principle?
Those MPs not in 'Government', all of them not just the official opposition, are there to hold the Government to account not be an extension of it. The nanny State is replicated in miniature with the nanny party machines. We have a welfare dependency problem in the nation and in Parliament.
Since he and George Howarth had tabled their own amendment to the Lib Dem motion. Which wasn't selected for debate or vote.
http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm200809/cmagenda/ob90429.htm
Fat finger fail corrected
OK: here's how it goes.
Lib Dem amendment voted on first. Not expected to be carried. Salter has his own amendment (not selected) setting out his position which he thinks is better than the LDs. So he doesn't vote, expecting the LD motion tho be defeated.
If the LD motion is defeated, as he expects, there will then be an opportunity to vote on the Govt amendment, which is where he can do some actual damage by voting against.
But he never gets the chance to do so, because the LD motion is agreed to.
Dizzy, on top of Salter, our old pall Efford spoke in support of the governments concessions, yet did not vote for them.
Snidey old man.....
This is par for the course for Martin - he has been saying one thing locally and doing the opposite at Westminster since he was elected in 1997.
Incidently does anyone know what has happened to Martin's nemesis Jane? Her blog 'janestheone' comes up with a message 'this blog may harm your computer'.
I would love to hear Jane's views on Martin and the Gurkhas but dare not log in to her blog.
He used to be my MP. I had occasion to attempt to get his assistance at his surgery once. He turned out to be a useless, weapons-grade bell-end.
I'm sure he speaks very highly of you, Obo.
Jane is now back with
http://jane-griffiths-my-book.blogspot.com/
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