Local Labour MP Emily Thornberry betrays war veterans in historic Gurkha vote

11.37.30am BST (GMT +0100) Thu 7th May 2009

Liberal Democrat leader Nick Clegg MP with former gurkha & Victoria Cross winner Tul Bahadur Pun.

Islington Liberal Democrats have slammed Labour MP Emily Thornberry for backing the wrong side in an historic vote in Parliament last week. Ms Thornberry backed the Government and voted against a Lib Dem motion demanding that Gurkhas who fought for Britain should be allowed to stay in this country.

The Liberal Democrat motion was agreed by parliament. This is the first time since 1978 that a Government has lost an Opposition-led debate.

Councillor Jyoti Vaja, former Islington Mayor and the Council's representative for the military services, commented:

"I was disgusted to see that Labour MP Emily Thornberry blindly voted with the Government on this issue. Yet again she has put slavish party loyalty before compassion and fairness.

"Islington's other MP Jeremy Corbyn, voted for the Lib Dem motion to allow Gurkhas to live in this country. It is disgraceful that Emily Thornberry couldn't bring herself to vote against the Government and for the rights of Gurkhas when so many of her colleagues did.

"The Government has a moral duty to support those who put their lives on the line to protect our freedoms and fight for our country. Emily Thornberry should be ashamed of herself for failing to see this and failing to support the Gurkhas' right to live in this country."