February 2022

MK update on Cornwall Council budget

3 August 2022 – Posted by Press Release
New County Hall in Truro

At today’s meeting of Cornwall Council, the Conservative administration voted through its budget for next financial year (2022/2023), as well as a medium term financial strategy for the next four years. The vote was 48 votes to 30. The Mebyon Kernow / Green Party Group voted against the budget and called on the Conservative administration, Tory MPs and Conservative Government to deliver fair funding for local government in Cornwall. Cllr Dick Cole spoke on behalf of the Group. His speech was…

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‘Devolution’ White Paper is weak and confused

1 August 2022 – Posted by News, Opinion
Comment from Cllr Dick Cole – Leader of Mebyon Kernow

The Government’s ‘Levelling Up’ White Paper contains a pledge to “give every part of England that wants it a devolution deal with more regional powers and simplified, long-term funding.” But in terms of what the Conservatives are calling a ‘devolution revolution’ it is all very confusing. The associated press release claims that it represents the “biggest shift of power from Whitehall to local leaders in modern times” offering ‘London-style’ powers and a mayor. The role of London Mayor is associated with…

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‘Levelling Up’ White Paper is great disappointment

4 August 2022 – Posted by Press Release
Levelling Up Executive Summary

Mebyon Kernow has described the new ‘Levelling Up’ White Paper, launched by the UK Government on 2nd February, as a great disappointment for Cornwall. In a statement issued today, the leader of the Party for Cornwall has described the proposals in the document as “completely inadequate to properly tackle the regional inequality that plagues the United Kingdom.” The statement from Cllr Dick Cole was as follows: “There is much rhetoric from the UK Government about ‘levelling up’ but the proposals…

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MK Comment on Levelling Up White Paper

1 August 2022 – Posted by News, Opinion
Levelling Up Executive Summary

The Government claims that it has a ‘defining mission’ to ‘level up’ by “tackling the regional and local inequalities that unfairly hold back” so many parts of the UK. The long-awaited devolution White Paper – re-engineered as a ‘levelling up’ policy document – was published last Wednesday. It is massively, predictably, disappointing. The Guardian newspaper described the White Paper as “anaemic and inadequate,” The Economist magazine said it ‘falls short’ and “fails to devolve enough power and…

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