Kent News - Gurkha campaigner reflects on 'surreal' six months

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Gurkha campaigner reflects on 'surreal' six months

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Mr Carroll with his family

The campaigner at his workplace

Following his return from a heart-warming trip to Nepal where he was welcomed as a hero, Peter Carroll spoke to reporter Anna White about how the Gurkha rights campaign has dramatically changed his outlook on life.

Gurkha Justice founder Peter Carroll has always worked hard running his own haulage firm and serving his community as a councillor.

But he never dreamed he would lead a campaign which attracted such a groundswell of public support that the British Government was powerless to stop it.

Mr Carroll, who runs a haulage firm in Larkfield, has just returned from an emotional visit to Nepal with actress Joanna Lumley - where he was treated as a national hero.

He will now focus on trying to win the Maidstone and Weald parliamentary seat for the Liberal Democrats at the next general election, but has assured his place in history after winning a heart-warming victory for the Gurkhas and People Power in the process.

As a boy growing up in Manchester he said he had dreams of becoming a scientist, but he never thought that one day he would be congratulating the Prime Minister on giving in to the view of the British public.

This happened when Gordon Brown announced he was scrapping the law which refused to allow Gurkha soldiers who retired before 1997 to stay in this country and that he would offer each of them British citizenship.

Mr Carroll, who launched the Gurkha Justice campaign in 2004, was invited with Ms Lumley and more than 100 Gurkhas to meet the Prime Minister after the historic victory in May.

He said: “Gordon Brown had a private meeting with Joanna first, but when he walked out to greet me I asked if I could say something and he said ‘yes’, and I just said ‘you have absolutely done the right thing, congratulations’.

“When I was there I just thought how did this happen? It is all just so surreal.”

Mr Carroll, a Liberal Democrat councillor on Shepway council, first became involved in the campaign when four Gurkhas visited him at his home in Folkestone and told him that one of their comrades had been arrested and was facing deportation.

He said: “I just couldn’t believe it, it was jaw-dropping. These people fought with the British Army before 1997, in the Gulf War, the Falklands and even the Second World War, and this is how our country repays them.

“From that point I was going to fight it all the way, there was no going back.”

He used his contacts within the Liberal Democrat Party to secure radio and television publicity, held demonstrations and forged a relationship with lawyers at Howe & Co – who had already begun proceedings to take the case to the High Court.

But the campaign really took off in September last year when Cranbrook resident Annie Watsham told Mr Carroll that he should ask Ms Lumley for help.

The actress’ father served for 30 years with the 6th Gurkha Rifles and was a Chindit in Burma.

He said: “Joanna called me back and said that she would help - I couldn’t believe it. Joanna was very much emotionally involved and I think that is because of her connection to the Gurkhas through her father.”

Her involvement gave the campaign global recognition and helped them achieve the great victory.

A trip to Nepal had been planned for Mr Carroll, his wife Lynne, Ms Lumley and her husband and son, before the victory, but the good news added extra excitement to their visit to the Gurkha’s home country last month.

Mr Carroll said: “When those airport doors opened I couldn’t believe it, all I could see were camera flashes and a sea of people, I honestly feared for our lives at one point, but Joanna was like a swan – gracious and calm.

“People were all over us, at one point I had to hold my arms up and say ‘we are not moving until you make way’ it was so surreal.

“There were posters everywhere saying ‘Peter we love you’ and ‘thank you Peter’, which is something I never would have expected but was totally humbled by.

“I have received letters from people saying how much it means to them and when I meet these people it still chokes me. Like I have always said they are the true heroes of this campaign.”

Reflecting on a whirlwind last six months after a long five-year campaign, Mr Carroll, who hopes to replace Ann Widdecombe as the county town’s MP at the next general election, has taken a different look at his parliamentary campaign.

He said: “If I see something that’s broken I will do my best to fix it, that is how I am and that is how I have been brought up.

“This is me, I fight for issues I believe in and I would do that for Maidstone.”

Instead of taking a well-deserved rest, Mr Carroll has returned to work at his haulage firm Seymour Transport, in Larkfield, and is planning to focus on Maidstone issues.

A TV documentary following the Gurkha Justice campaign was aired on the BBC News channel on Saturday night.

POSTED: 12/08/2009 07:00:00