MP Kevan Jones stirs up Joanna Lumley over campaign

Mar 29 2010 by Kerry Wood, The Journal

TELEVISION favourite and people’s champion Joanna Lumley is at loggerheads with a North East MP over the fate of thousands of Gurkhas.

In a high profile campaign Lumley almost single-handedly changed Government policy as ministers agreed to throw out rules preventing retired Gurkhas from settling in the UK.

But a veterans’ charity has claimed many have been duped into paying £500 each to an ex-servicemen’s organisation in Nepal only to arrive in Britain to live in poverty and in dingy bedsits.

Addressing the Commons Home Affairs Committee earlier this month Defence Minister and North Durham MP Kevan Jones claimed that having grabbed the headlines, the actress had failed to speak up about the poor advice being given to the thousands of veterans hoping for a better life in Britain.

He said: “Her deathly silence, frankly, irritates me.”

Mr Jones claimed some advice given to veterans was misleading, encouraging them to expect they would have homes provided when they arrive in Britain.

He said “people cannot just walk away once the headlines die down” and put the onus on Ms Lumley to speak out and make sure Gurkha veterans hoping to come to the UK do not need to pay out.

But the Absolutely Fabulous and New Avengers star hit back this weekend, saying Mr Jones’ comments were part of a Whitehall smear campaign.