Mebyon Kernow has welcomed the announcement from Steve Reed, the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, which rules out the threat of a Devonwall Mayoral Strategic Authority [MSA] being imposed on Cornwall.
In a letter to the leader of Cornwall Council, Cllr Leigh Frost, the minister stated that the UK Government “is minded, on an exceptional basis, to work” with Cornwall Council “to explore designating the council as a Single Foundation Strategic Authority.”
The letter added that: “Any designation would be subject to Royal Assent of the English Devolution and Community Empowerment Bill and parliamentary approval of the necessary secondary legislation, before unlocking the powers and functions available at that level of the Devolution Framework and starting Cornwall on its journey to deeper and wider devolution.
“The Government will provide further detail on future strategic authority designations in due course.”
Press statements are further reporting that Cornwall’s four Labour MPs will be meeting ministers next week to flesh out the details of the deal.
Speaking on behalf of Mebyon Kernow – the Party for Cornwall, Cllr Dick Cole said:
“It is to be welcomed that the UK Government is minded to rule out a cross-Tamar MSA. I would like to commend everyone who has campaigned against Devonwall and I thank Cornwall’s MPs for working so hard to ensure Cornwall is treated as a distinct unit in any proposed political changes.
“Let us celebrate that the threat of Devonwall is no more, but the challenge to secure meaningful devolution must continue.
“The fantastic news that the Cornish language will be protected through part three of the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages means that our language will have parity with the national languages of the other Celtic parts of the UK.
“Now is the time that we must redouble our efforts to also secure parity with Scotland and Wales through a meaningful Celtic-style devolution settlement.
“MK will be continuing to campaign for a bespoke Cornwall Devolution Bill, grounded in Cornwall’s national identity and the national minority status of the Cornish.”