Article by Cllr Dick Cole to be published in the Cornish Guardian and West Briton newspapers (27th November 2024)

It has been widely reported that, at a meeting of the organisation known as South West Councils, Jim McMahon (Minister of State for “Local Government and English Devolution”), stated that his preferred footprint for a devolution deal would be “Devon and Cornwall” block. This was certainly a talking point at the National Conference of Mebyon Kernow – the Party for Cornwall, which took place in Truro on Saturday.

In what I am sure was a departure from most such political gatherings, I was actually very complimentary about what Cornwall’s new MPs had been saying on this topic. In my keynote address to party members, I spoke about how politicians in Cornwall had been sending a clear collective message to Westminster since the July General Election, backing meaningful devolution linked to a full recognition of Cornwall’s unique place within the United Kingdom.

I commended Liberal Democrat MPs Andrew George and Ben Maguire for, within ten days of the General Election, sending a letter to the Prime Minister calling for a Cornish Assembly. I also praised Ben and Labour MP Perran Moon, respectively, for calling for a “Cornish Legislative Assembly” and promising to seek “an Assembly similar to that of our Celtic cousins in Wales” in their maiden speeches. And I paid tribute to all six MPs for joining the group leaders on the unitary authority in signing a letter to the Deputy Prime Minister, which sought “a devolution settlement enshrined in law that reflects the status Cornwall shares with Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland in all areas of economic, social, political and cultural life.”

Unbelievably, central government has yet to formally respond to any of these representations and it is shocking that the Minister is making comments about the future governance of Cornwall that disregard what Cornish MPs and councillors are saying.

In my speech I also noted that an English Devolution Bill is likely to be published within weeks and called on MPs to strongly reject any concept of a “Devonwall” combined authority, and to push for a “Cornish Devolution Bill” and a Celtic-style devolution settlement, which gives us greater parity with Scotland and Wales.

I am pleased that the Democracy Unit at the Institute of Cornish Studies is publishing a document that also seeks a bespoke devolution settlement for Cornwall, and that it has a foreword from Cornwall’s MPs welcoming the report.

At this pivotal time, I hope that they will be able use their influence to get the new UK Government to act on this report and other representations.