Martin Salter, the toadying motor-mouth wimps out on the Gurkhas

Patrick Murray has written an excellent article for LibDem Voice on the Gurkha's debate and Martin Salter's behaviour.

Martin Salter was really going for it at PMQs this week. As Chairman of the All Party Parliamentary Group on Gurhas' rights, he deployed all of his considerable motor-mouth skills and really went for Gordon Brown's jugular on the subject of the Gurkhas, saying:

Last December it was my sad duty to attend the funeral in Reading of campaigning Gurkha war veteran Bhim Prasad Gurung, who died in abject poverty while awaiting the outcome of his appeal against the refusal to offer him settlement in the UK. The Prime Minister should be aware that Bhim would have faced deportation under the new guidelines announced on Friday, as he was made redundant after 12 years of brave service and denied his Ministry of Defence pension. Will the Prime Minister be more specific about how quickly he will bring forward his promised 12-month review of the policy, finish the job that the Labour Government started in 2004, and deliver justice for Gurkhas at last?

Great stuff. And, promisingly, Salter previously said :

As far as I’m concerned the campaign for Gurkha justice continues and I and I know other colleagues on the Labour benches will be looking to use any Parliamentary means at our disposal to challenge this dreadfully disappointing decision.

So what happened when Salter was giving the plum opportunity of a motion in the Commons against the government's proposal - the "Parliamentary means" to end all "Parliamentary means" to challenge the "dreadfully disappointing decision"?

Um....Er.....He sat on his hands and abstained.

The Order of the Brown Nose awaits for Gordon Brown's loyal servant, Martin Salter MP for Reading West.