AN Auschwitz survivor from Suffolk today added his voice to calls for a government rethink over the policy on allowing Gurkhas to settle in the UK.

AN Auschwitz survivor from Suffolk today added his voice to calls for a government rethink over the policy on allowing Gurkhas to settle in the UK.

Frank Bright, who was only 16 when he was sent to the infamous death camp, said he knew better than most the debt of gratitude owed to the Nepalese troops, thousands of whom fought against the Nazis in the Second World War.

His appeal comes in the wake of the government's embarrassing defeat in a Commons vote following a Liberal Democrats motion which called for all former Gurkhas to be allowed to live in the UK.

Gordon Brown has announced new proposals will be published by the summer.

Martlesham resident Mr Bright, whose family were killed at Auschwitz, has already petitioned the government over their treatment of Gurkhas.

He said: “People who fought on the allied side should be more accommodated here than those who are trying to blow us up.

“I feel strongly about it - they should be allowed to settle here.”

Ipswich MP Chris Mole has also come in for criticism after voting against the Lib Dem's pro-Gurkha motion.

Ben Gummer, the town's Conservative parliamentary candidate, said: “I really struggle to understand Chris Mole's position on the Gurkhas.

“Once again he is acting like Gordon Brown's man in Ipswich, not our representative in Westminster.

“Everyone I have talked to in the town is clear about the principle at stake - if you are prepared to die for this country, you should be allowed to live in this country.

“But this government, which seems incapable of keeping some extremely undesirable illegal immigrants out of the country, is prepared to use false figures to stop these few brave and good men settling here.”

Mr Mole defended the government and said the public had not understood the measures already implemented to support Gurkhas.

“There's a complete misapprehension that the government does not want to welcome Gurkhas into the UK,” he said.

“The public haven't understood what has already been done or what the government is trying to do through these revised guidelines.”

He said the government had doubled Gurkhas' pensions and introduced new rules which allowed Gurkhas to apply to remain permanently in the UK.

Should Gurkhas be allowed to live in the UK? Write to Your Letters, Evening Star, 30 Lower Brook Street, Ipswich, IP4 1AN or e-mail eveningstarletters@eveningstar.co.uk