Actress Joanna Lumley has spoken of her distress at the "slurs" on her over the successful campaign to let Gurkhas settle in this country.

Speaking at a press conference in London this afternoon, Miss Lumley said she had been forced to break her silence over comments made to a Home Affairs select committee by veterans minister Kevan Jones.

She said she was speaking "with a sense of regret" to clear her name and that of others in the Gurkha Justice Campaign (GJC).

Mr Jones had claimed the GJC had lured Gurkhas to the UK with false promises and had criticised Miss Lumley's silence over claims that the veterans were being wrongly charged legal fees.

Shortly before Miss Lumley's press conference Mr Jones apologised, saying: "I am sorry if any offence was caused - this was not intended."

He said his concern had been to stop "unscrupulous middle-men" taking money from ex-Gurkhas when government services were available to them free.

Asked if she thought the comments were a slur on her, Miss Lumley said: "It has been said I was parachuted in [to the GJC] just to take the headlines and that is wrong.

"It has been suggested that we spread falsehoods. These are smears."

Miss Lumley said much work had gone on behind the scenes since the campaign's success last year and she had remained quiet at the request of the government.

She called on Prime Minister Gordon Brown to affirm his support for the Gurkhas rights to settle here.

GFC founder and Shepway councillor Peter Carroll said there had been a "dripping toxin" of misinformation.

"I am very distressed because the campaign was one of the great public campaigns of modern times," he said.

"It has not gone sour. The outcome is that hundreds of retired Gurkhas are now living and working in this country."

Martin Howe, of London soliciors Howe & Co which is also involved with the GJC, said Gurkha settlement cases had been dealt with through legal aid.

An inquiry by the Legal Services Commission following remarks made by Mr Jones had cleared the company of any wrongdoing.