Article by Cllr Dick Cole to be published in the Cornish Guardian newspaper (17th July 2024)
Immediately after the result of the General Election was confirmed, the new Prime Minister held a press conference. He spoke about the “four nations” of the UK, and how he would govern for all four corners of the UK – meaning England, Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales.
He also said that he had a “fundamental belief” that those “with skin in the game are the ones who know best what they need,” and that he wanted to put “more power in the hands of local leaders.”
Over the next 48-hour period, he toured the “four nations” and met with the First Ministers in each of the devolved administrations, before returning to London. On the following day, the PM hosted a meeting of “metro mayors” from across England. The prospect of further devolution was discussed at this gathering and he reaffirmed his commitment to a “Council of the Regions and Nations.”
The Deputy Prime Minister, Angela Rayner, has meanwhile stated that “work will now continue at pace to deliver on manifesto commitments to transfer power out of Whitehall … with upcoming devolution legislation to take back control.”
Obviously, given the national minority status of the Cornish, it has been disappointing that Keir Starmer and his team have, thus far, been silent on what this all means for the historic nation of Cornwall.
When it comes to constitutional matters and democratic reforms, key decision-makers and opinion-formers in Westminster have tended to have a blindspot about Cornwall. How often are we described as the UK’s overlooked or forgotten nation?
It is therefore extremely symbolic that all six MPs from the west of the Tamar have asserted Cornish nationhood by taking their parliamentary oaths in the Cornish language.
It was a powerful statement and emphasised Cornwall is just as much a key constituent part of the United Kingdom as Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales; and its democratic, economic and cultural needs also need to be prioritised by the UK Government.
I would like to thank Andrew, Anna, Ben, Jayne, Noah and Perran for coming together in this way.
At this important time for the UK’s new Government, it is my hope that Keir Starmer and others will have understood this subtle, but strong, statement. It is also my hope that the Government will seek to meet all their “national minority” obligations and ensure that Cornwall, in the first instance, is represented on the “Council for Regions and Nations,” as a step towards achieving greater parity with Wales and Scotland through meaningful devolution.