Following the vote in the House of Commons this afternoon where the Liberal Democrat motion calling on the Government to extend an equal right of residence to all Gurkhas was passed by 21 votes, senior Liberal Democrat MP Sir Menzies Campbell, who spoke in the debate, said: "This is a hugely embarrassing reversal for the Government which badly underestimated opinion in the House of Commons and in the country.

Menzies Campbell MP: North East Fife"Affection for the Gurkhas and a sense of moral obligation combined to make a formidable case against the Government.

"The Government was guilty of a gross mis-judgement. While speaking in the debate I described the Government's position as "shabby" and a majority in the House of Commons were of the same opinion."