GORDON BROWN was under fierce pressure last night to end his “shameful” treatment of former Gurkhas after suffering a damaging defeat in the Commons.

Campaigners led by actress Joanna Lumley demanded an immediate U-turn after MPs – including 27 Labour rebels – voted down guidelines that will prevent most of the Nepalese soldiers from settling in Britain.

Although the defeat is not binding on the Government, it was a huge embarrassment for Mr Brown, who had personally ruled out ripping up the guidelines only hours earlier – and warned it would cost £1.4bn.

Outside Parliament there were loud cheers of “hip, hip, hooray” from Gurkhas, many of them elderly and frail, who had gathered for the Commons debate.

A delighted Ms Lumley, the star of TV comedy Absolutely Fabulous, and whose father served in a Gurkha regiment, urged ministers to change policy without “any further delay”.

She said: “I can’t tell you the sense of elation, the sense of pride – pride in our country, pride in the democratic system and pride in our Parliament.”

Alongside her, Liberal Democrat leader Nick Clegg and Conservative leader David Cameron joined forces to warn the Prime Minister that he faced further defeats unless he changed course.

Earlier, during Prime Minister’s Questions, Mr Clegg branded the Government’s policy “shameful” and told Mr Brown: “If someone is prepared to die for this country, surely they deserve to live in this country.”

Anger has grown since ministers announced that, of the Gurkhas who retired before July 1997, only those who had served 20 years, those had received medals and those injured in battle would be allowed to settle in Britain.

The Home Office said the new rules would allow about 4,300 more to settle – on top of 6,000 already able to – but the Gurkha Justice Campaign insisted it would be only 100.

Yesterday, MPs voted by 267 to 246 in favour of a Lib Dem motion demanding an automatic right of residence for all 36,000 Gurkhas and their families.

In the Commons, Mr Brown said such a policy would strip £1.4bn from the defence budget and told Mr Clegg: “We have got to bear in mind that there are public expenditure issues here.”

About 60 Labour rebels had signed an amendment describing the guidelines, announced last week, as “morally wrong and offensive”.

Most, including Dari Taylor (Stockton South), Chris Mullin (Sunderland South) and Stephen Byers (Tyneside North), backed down after 11th hour concessions, although up to 100 abstained.

The Government was forced into issuing new guidelines after the High Court ruled, last September, that the previous rules were unlawful.

Nepalese men who want to join the Brigade of Gurkhas must first undergo nine months of basic training at the Infantry Training Centre, in Catterick Garrison, North Yorkshire.