As the Guardian says:
Note too this video on the BBC website. Is it just me, or is there more than a hint of Mrs Thatcher about the magnificent Joanna Lumley?Gordon Brown's authority suffered a blow today when MPs inflicted a surprise defeat on the government, voting to allow all retired Gurkhas to settle in the UK.
Twenty seven Labour MPs voted with the Liberal Democrats and the Tories to back a demand for all former Gurkhas to be allowed to live in the UK, not just those who retired after 1997 and a small proportion of the others.
Although ministers offered a series of minor concessions intended to satisfy the many Labour MPs who signed an amendment attacking government policy, MPs voted by a majority of 21 to back a Liberal Democrat demand for "an equal right of residence for all Gurkhas".
MPs backed the Lib Dem motion by 267 votes to 246.
Her father, Major Jimmy Lumley, was an officer witht the 3rd Battalion of the 6th Gurkha Rifles in Burma during Word War II.
Joanna Lumley is definitely a warrior queen these days, but I think she's a lot more beautiful and stylish than Mrs Thatcher ever was. Mrs T was very attractive as a young brunette because of her sparkle and wholesomeness, but in her latter years as Prime Minister she had something twisted about her (as captured by Steve Bell with the eyes out of kilter), even while she had a certain grandeur.
ReplyDeleteAnd Joanna Lumley's style of dress is a lot more relaxed and often a bit edgy. All of Lumley's fierceness comes from within, whereas Mrs T was expertly styled as a world statesperson, to such an extent that Condoleeza Rice only had to do likewise with the military-style double breasted coats and the boots.
Good victory for the Gurkas!
ReplyDeleteThe real Heroes are the Labour MP's who rebelled.
Shame on the LD's for trying to make political capital out of it!