Joanna Lumley Targeted in Facebook Campaign against Gurkha 'Influx'

THE DAILY TELEGRAPH: Actress Joanna Lumley has become the target of a Facebook hate campaign for her role in attracting a "massive influx" of Gurkhas to the country.

The Ab Fab star successfully campaigned for the heroic soldiers and their families to be given a right to settle in the UK.

But the Gurkhas and their families now make up 10 per cent of the population in Aldershot, Hants, and residents say services are struggling to cope.

Over 2,300 people have joined Facebook pages called "Joanna Lumley has F**ked up Aldershot and Farnborough" and "Lumley's Legacy".

Anti-Gurkha messages have also been graffitied across the area.

Sam Phillips, who founded both groups, said he was not racist and had "great appreciation" for the sacrifices the Gurkhas made for "our country".

The 35-year-old HGV driver, from Aldershot, added: "Joanna Lumley was happy to use her face to get publicity for her cause, now we are using her name to show the result.

"Our problem is not with the Gurkhas it is with the government. » | Friday, September 16, 2011

Gordon Brown Suffers Humiliating Defeat in Gurkha Vote as Labour MPs Rebel
THE TELEGRAPH: Gordon Brown suffered a humiliating Commons defeat over his refusal to allow Gurkha veterans to live in Britain as a number of Labour MPs rebelled.

Joanna Lumley thanks Telegraph readers for Gurkha support.
In a significant blow to the Prime Minister's already fragile authority, MPs voted for a motion calling for the scrapping of new immigration rules that would prevent many Gurkhas coming to live in the country they served.

With the backing of Labour rebels and the Conservative Party, a Liberal Democrat motion demanding the admission of all Gurkha veterans and their families was passed by 267 to 241.

In all, 27 Labour MPs voted with the Opposition, and dozens more abstained, defying orders to support the Government. One ministerial aide, Stephen Pound, resigned from the Government to vote with the rebels.

Deepening the Government's embarrassment, the Commons defeat came despite last-minute concessions to Labour rebels from Jacqui Smith, the Home Secretary.

Only hours before the vote, Mr Brown had told MPs that the Government could not afford to admit all the Gurkhas, claiming that doing so would cost £1.4 billion.

Campaigners and opposition leaders said that the Government must now drop its curbs on admitting Gurkhas and their families and allow all Nepalese veterans of the British Army to live in the UK. >>> By James Kirkup, Political Correspondent | Thursday, April 30, 2009