Tul Bahadur VC

Britain's immigration policy is terrible. And that fact is demonstrated best in the treatment that the UK gives to the Gurkha soldiers who serve in the British Army. Not only are they paid less than regular troops- their pensions are much, much smaller too- many are denied entry to the UK when their service is finished. These brave soldiers have proved their worth time and time again in their service to our nation and yet the MoD and government treats them like second class citizens. It's disgusting- everyone recognises the professionalism and heroism of the Gurkhas and yet they are offered little in the way of rewards for their service.

In one case at least, that's changing.

A former Gurkha who won the Victoria Cross has been given the right to live in the UK.

Tul Bahadur Pun, 84, wanted to move from Nepal for medical reasons but had been told he was unable to demonstrate strong enough British ties.

He served Britain in war time and he was told he didn't have strong enough ties? That is utterly deplorable- every single Gurkha should be given the option of coming to live in the UK- on a full and equal pension to British troops.

Former Rifleman Mr Pun was awarded his medal for World War II action in Burma.

Actress Joanna Lumley backed Mr Pun's campaign to live in the UK because she said he risked his life to rescue her father.

He had been living in Nepal on a monthly pension of £132. That's roughly $265. His Victoria Cross won him the right to come to the UK to receive a better quality of health care. Other men just like him, bereft of medals, are not so lucky. Here's what he did-

In Burma on June 23rd, 1944, a Battalion of the 6th Gurkha Rifles was ordered to attack the Railway Bridge at Mogaung. Immediately the attack developed the enemy opened concentrated and sustained cross fire at close range from a position known as the Red House and from a strong bunker position two hundred yards to the left of it. So intense was this cross fire that both the leading platoons of 'B' Company, one of which was Rifleman Tulbahadur (sic) Pun's, were pinned to the ground and the whole of his Section was wiped out with the exception of himself, the Section commander and one other man. The Section commander immediately led the remaining two men in a charge on the Red House but was at once badly wounded.

Rifleman Tulbahadur (sic) Pun and his remaining companion continued the charge, but the latter too was immediately wounded. Rifleman Tulbahadur (sic) Pun then seized the Bren Gun, and firing from the hip as he went, continued the charge on this heavily bunkered position alone, in the face of the most shattering concentration of automatic fire, directed straight at him. With the dawn coming up behind him, he presented a perfect target to the Japanese. He had to move for thirty yards over open ground, ankle deep in mud, through shell holes and over fallen trees. Despite these overwhelming odds, he reached the Red House and closed with the Japanese occupants. He killed three and put five more to flight and captured two light machine guns and much ammunition. He then gave accurate supporting fire from the bunker to the remainder of his platoon which enabled them to reach their objective. His outstanding courage and superb gallantry in the face of odds which meant almost certain death were most inspiring to all ranks and beyond praise."

As The Times comments, there are plenty of people in the UK now who are of the most undesirable type- yet our government sees no problem with Islamic extremists or even rapists remaining in the country while brave men who served in our Armed Forces are denied entry.

It's long past the time that the Gurkhas be treated with the respect and gratitude that they deserve.

More than 12,000 people signed a petition on the Downing Street website calling on the prime minister "to immediately and retrospectively give all Gurkha servicemen and their immediate families past and present British citizenship".