First parliamentary defeat for Brown

Last week Gordon Brown suffered his first defeat as PM in the House of Commons, when a majority if MPs rejected his plan to refuse former Gurkhas' rights to retire in the UK. (The Gurkhas are a regiment originally from Nepal who have been fighting for the British since the early 19th Century). Brown failed to realise the sentimental attachment that many British feel for these loyal soldiers and gave the impression of being out of touch and unfair towards them. These came after the presentation of the Budget which was widely criticised for the huge public debt it will bestow on future governments. The government is further weakened, and the recurrent rumours of leadership challenge have reappeared.