Citizenship4Soldiers, the campaign to help Commonwealth troops who have served in the UK military stay in the country under whose flag they have fought, has taken a significant step forward.
The pressure group headed by David McMullen, and whose endeavours have been supported by RepComms, is celebrating a government proposal to put out to public consultation a decision to waive the nearly £2,400 visa fees soldiers must pay for themselves and each family member.
In echoes of a campaign fronted by actress Joanna Lumley in support of Gurkha residency rights, Citizenship4Soldiers initially took on the case of eight Fijian soldiers backed by Colonel Bob Stewart MP and football manager Harry Redknapp.
Government proposal suggest fees will be waived after 12 years’ service to which McMullen has given a qualified welcome, suggesting the qualifying period is too long for men who have done tough stints in Iraq or Afghanistan.
You can read the latest coverage here as well as here.
See previous RepComms posts for the initial salvo in support of Fijian troops by Chris Hope in the Daily Telegraph and follow Citizenship4Soldiers via Twitter handle @Cit4Sol .
