Ten years ago in the Cornish Guardian, I wrote about how figures released by the Office of National Statistics showed Cornwall to be the ‘second home capital’ of the United Kingdom, and that the National Housing Federation had warned ‘second homes’ were increasingly pricing local people out of their communities with the countryside becoming, “a place for the well-off to enjoy at weekends.” This was also at a time when a prominent London author and journalist had written a piece about…

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Through the spectacle of the Queen’s Speech on Tuesday 10th May, the UK Government announced its legislative programme for the next parliamentary session. It includes a total of 38 bills and the key criticism from political opponents has been that not enough is being proposed to tackle the present cost of living crisis. While I have not studied the full detail of many of the proposed bills, there are some elements to be welcomed, ranging from legislation to better combat modern…

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In 1980, Margaret Thatcher’s Government introduced ‘Right to Buy’ through its first Housing Act, and the legislation allowed council tenants to purchase their homes at a significant discount from their open-market value. As a consequence, some two million rental properties were sold. I agree with the view of Polly Neate, the Chief Executive of the homelessness charity Shelter, that this tore “a massive hole” in the stock of much-needed affordable housing. I would add that the loss of so many social…

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The eighth anniversary of the recognition of the Cornish through the Framework Convention for the Protection of National Minorities has just passed. To mark the occasion, the unitary authority issued a positive press release about all the work being done to protect and promote the unique culture and distinctive language of Cornwall, reminding one and all that the UK Government had pledged the Cornish would have the ‘same status’ as: “the UK’s other Celtic people: the Scots, the Welsh and the…

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The Conservative Government has repeatedly promised that the funding Cornwall is to receive through the Shared Prosperity Fund (SPF) would, at least, match the level of EU structural monies that would have been received. Cornwall Council has estimated that this should equate to £100 million each year. The most recent report produced by the Conservative-controlled authority states that “in order to be no worse off” Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly would “need to receive £700 million from the UK SPF…

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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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