In its response to an upcoming parliamentary review into the health of minority languages across the UK, Mebyon Kernow has called for greater legislative protections for Cornish and meaningful investment into the language.
In a wide-ranging document, MK has argued that the UK Government has consistently failed to meet its obligations to the Cornish language and the Cornish as detailed through the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages and the Framework Convention for the Protection of National Minorities.
This inquiry will be undertaken by the Digital, Culture, Media and Sport Committee and its acting chairman, Damian Green MP, says that the inquiry “will examine how our minority languages are faring, whether they can survive in a world dominated by English and what the role of the Government should be in their preservation and development.”
MK’s representation states that, over the last two decades, Cornish has not achieved language parity with the other Celtic languages of the UK. In particular, it notes that under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages, Cornish is only recognised under Part II, but Irish, Scottish Gaelic and Welsh are recognised under Part III, which has a more comprehensive and far-reaching set of obligations.
In terms of legislative protections, Cornish is the only Celtic language in the United Kingdom without safeguards embedded in domestic law. The first Welsh Language Act was passed in 1967 and a second one in 1993, while further legislation has been passed by the National Assembly of Wales / Welsh Parliament. The Scottish Gaelic Act was passed by the Scottish Parliament in 2005, while the Identity and Language (Northern Ireland) Act, covering both Irish and Ulster Scots, completed its passage through parliamentary process earlier this year.
Speaking about MK’s submission to the BCMS Committee, Party Leader Cllr Dick Cole said: “We have challenged the UK Government needs to bring forward a wide-ranging Cornish Language Act and greater financial support for the promotion of Cornish. It is our contention that the UK Government, as signatory to the Framework Convention and the Language Charter, has the principal obligation to invest in the language.
“Looking forward, we would welcome responsibility for the Cornish language being devolved to Cornwall, but for that we would need full recognition of Cornwall’s nationhood and a meaningful devolution settlement that includes a Cornish Parliament with full legislative and fiscal powers.”
The invitation to submit written evidence to the Committee came to an end on 10th March and the MK submission can be viewed at: