Mebyon Kernow would like to thank all MPs who have signed Ben Lake’s Early Day Motion in the House of Commons, which marks the 10th anniversary of the Cornish securing national minority status.

The 13 MPs are as follows:

• Ben Lake, Liz Saville-Roberts and Hywel Williams (Plaid Cymru)
• Deidre Brock, Dave Doogan, Allan Dorans, Anne McLaughlin, Gavin Newlands and Richard Thomson (SNP)
• Mary Kelly Foy (Labour)
• Jonathan Edwards and Angus MacNeil (Independents)
• Jim Shannon (DUP)

The motion notes the importance of the recognition of the Cornish, but expresses concern that “the UK Government has yet to fully meets its obligations under the Framework Convention.”

The full text of EDM 672 is as follows:

“That this House marks the 10th anniversary of the UK Government recognising the Cornish as a national minority through the Council of Europe’s Framework Convention for the Protection of National Minorities; notes that this landmark decision set out numerous obligations including support for language and culture, education and the media, the greater visibility of national minorities in public life, the protection of historic territories, more opportunities on the international stage; further notes that the decision should afford the Cornish the same status as the UK’s other national minorities; is however concerned that the UK Government has yet to fully meet its obligations under the Framework Convention by treating Cornwall equally with the other national parts of the UK; and calls on the UK Government to deliver meaningful devolution through the creation of a legislative Cornish Parliament or a National Assembly of Cornwall, full membership of the British-Irish Council and other trans-national bodies, fair funding for Cornwall and its public services, a Cornish Language Act, and public service broadcasting provision for Cornwall.”