Council leader urges backing for Gurkha campaign
Friday 6 January 2012
The Leader of Coventry City Council has urged local people to back a national campaign aimed at getting pension rights for Gurkha servicemen.
Cllr John Mutton has signed the national e-petition which calls for Gurkha servicemen discharged before 1997 to get pension parity with other British and Commonwealth ex-servicemen, and is now urging Coventry residents to follow his lead.
"Everyone's aware of the proud 200 year heritage the Gurkhas have in support of this country, and although high profile campaigns to make sure ex-Gurkhas and their families have achieved a lot, there's still more the government could do to help.
"Gurka servicemen discharged from service before July 1997 are still being discriminated against in terms of their pensions and they and their widows are not being treated the same as other British and Commonwealth ex-servicemen.
"I've signed the e-petition which calls on the government to address this issue, and I hope Coventry people will do the same."
The e-petition, which will be submitted to the Ministry of Defence is available to sign on http://epetitions.direct.gov.uk/petitions/10609
