The Gurkhas are a familiar sight around the Darlington area because of their training base at Catterick Garrison.

And we should not underestimate the significance of yesterday's historic vote in the House of Commons, when the Government was defeated over its restrictions on Gurkhas being allowed to live in this country.

It is the biggest Commons victory for the Lib Dems since they were formed two decades ago and the first time a government has lost an opposition day debate since the days of Jim Callaghan in 1978.

What pleases me most is that Parliament has done the decent thing at a time when public trust in politicians is at such a low ebb.

It is important for democracy to show that policies can be overturned by a coming together of MPs from all political persuasions.

The Government's policy on the Gurkhas was wrong.

How can we expect them to shed their blood for this country and then turn our backs on them?

As I said in this morning's paper, this was a fight Gordon Brown didn't need to have.

But it's a fight he has lost in a humiliating way.