Members and supporters of Mebyon Kernow gathered in Truro on Saturday [1st November] for the Party for Cornwall’s National Conference.
A key discussion focussed on the campaign for meaningful devolution for Cornwall.
In his keynote address, Party Leader Cllr Dick Cole called on the leaders of the London-based political parties to back the call from their Cornish councillors for greater powers for Cornwall.
He told the Conference that he was proud to have moved a cross-party motion on Cornwall Council, which demanded a devolution settlement that properly reflects Cornwall’s national identity and the national minority status of the Cornish.
Cllr Dick Cole said: “In addition to MK’s team, the motion was supported by all councillors from the Conservative, Green, Labour and Liberal Democrat groups, and all independent councillors – bar one!
“That is quite something – it has been hard work and a long-time coming. And with the exception of Reform UK, we have helped unite all groups on the Council in the cause of Cornish self-government.
“But as at various times in the recent past, our greatest challenge is not to build consensus within Cornwall. It is to get those in authority and power in Westminster to act on what Cornwall is saying is right for our future.
“I have a key challenge to that political establishment. When will the party leaders in London back Cornwall’s aspirations?”
In terms of the Liberal Democrats, Cllr Cole said: “When will Ed Davey publicly back the Liberal Democrat / Independent Council and endorse, without equivocation, the push for ‘5th nation status’?
“I will praise the leader of Cornwall Council for his work on this issue. Leigh Frost is pushing the ‘fifth nation’ campaign with great enthusiasm, but his efforts will be weakened if the whole apparatus of the Liberal Democrats does not throw its weight behind the campaign.”
Cllr Cole also expressed disappointment that Kemi Badenoch of the Conservatives was also silent on this matter, and stated that he was disturbed at how Labour Ministers are failing to deliver on their obligations to Cornwall.
He said: “On our national saint’s day, Keir Starmer – in response to a question from Perran Moon MP – wished everyone in Cornwall a very happy St Piran’s Day. He went on to say: ‘We do recognise Cornish national minority status, not just the proud language, the history and the culture of Cornwall, but its bright future …’
“But this September, only six months later, when he was interviewed by ITV, he said: ‘Look, I don’t think that we need a nation status for Cornwall’.”
Cllr Cole pointed out that Keir Starmer’s two most recent statements about Cornish rights were contradictory.
“Prime Minister. Cornwall is a nation and the Cornish national minority exist. You have stated that you recognise our status. Cornish nationhood and national minority status go together. They are inextricably linked. In any meaningful way, you cannot have one without the other. In reality, they are the same thing.”
He added: “National minority status is not just about culture and language; it is also about public life, it is about territory, it is about politics and it is about governance.”
MK members at the Conference committed themselves to continuing to campaign for meaningful devolution and a bespoke Cornish Devolution Bill.