Brit Gurkha regiment could face axe over defence spending

LONDON - The Gurkha regiment, which has been part of the British Army for nearly 200 years, could face the axe as part of a battle on account of the government dispute over defence spending.

“The Gurkha regiment could face the axe as part of the battle over defence spending,” The Scotsman quoted a Conservative MP, as saying.

“Everything was ‘up for grabs’ as the Ministry of Defence (MoD) attempts to balance the books. The Gurkhas were now more expensive after winning a high-profile campaign for better rights and there had also been a rise in “home-grown” recruitment,” said Patrick Mercer, a former Army officer.

“I think everything at the moment is up for grabs, particularly in terms of the balance between whether we cut kit or whether we cut manpower,” he added.

Mercer’s remarks came following reports that the Gurkha regiment could be one of several sacrificed as a result of a government dispute over defence funding.

It has been reported that Defence Secretary Liam Fox is said to be pressing the Treasury to provide more money for the MoD to meet the 20 billion pounds cost of replacing the Trident nuclear deterrent.

The reports follow a high-profile battle led by actress Joanna Lumley to improve Gurkha rights, including the right to settle in the UK.

“The complex process of a Strategic Defence and Security Review will be concluded in the autumn. Speculation at this stage about its outcome is entirely unfounded,” the paper quoted a MoD spokesman, as saying. (ANI)