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

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

It was a huge embarrassment for Mr Brown, who had personally ruled out ripping up the guidelines just hours earlier.

Outside Parliament, there were loud cheers from Gurkhas, many of them elderly and frail.

A delighted Ms Lumley, whose father served in a Gurkha regiment, 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.”

The defeat came despite five Merseyside MPs pulling out of their threatened revolt.

George Howarth, the Knowsley North and Sefton East MP, had tabled an amendment condemning the new rules as “morally wrong and offensive”.

But he, Eddie O'Hara, Peter Kilfoyle, Ben Chapman and Frank Field, backed down when ministers hinted a further review would allow many more Gurkhas to stay.

Mr Howarth said: “I now feel that my government has proved to be an honourable government – and a better government than it was 24 hours ago.”