Gurkha Justice Campaign

The campaign's legal case reached the High Court, and had the support of a number of celebrities, including Joanna Lumley.

Another was to prove that a long-term medical condition was caused or worsened by active service—a tall order for those whose injuries were sustained decades ago.

On 20 November 2008, Lumley led a large all party group including Gurkhas starting from Parliament Square to 10 Downing Street with a petition signed by 250,000 people.

On 5 May Joanna Lumley said that she had received private assurances of support from a senior member of the Royal Family,[11] and attended a meeting with Prime Minister Gordon Brown at 10 Downing Street the following day.

[12] However, on the day following the meeting with Brown, five Gurkha veterans who had applied for residency in the United Kingdom received letters telling them that their appeals had been rejected.

[14] Smith subsequently announced that all Gurkha veterans who had served four years or more in the British Army before 1997 would be allowed to settle in Britain.