The Office for National Statistics (ONS) is holding two consultations into the content of the 2031 census. These comprise one on topics for the next census and a second linked about ethnicity/nationality.

Both consultations close on 4th February.

The leadership team of Mebyon Kernow – the Party for Cornwall is working on submissions to the ONS, which will demand a Cornish tickbox on the 2031.

MK leader Cllr Dick Cole has been at the heart of the “tickbox” campaign for many years and has issued the following statement:

“In 2014, the Cornish secured national minority status and the UK Government promised to treat the Cornish in the same manner as the Northern Irish, Scottish and Welsh.

“It was therefore shameful that, in 2021, there were nationality tickboxes for the English, Northern Irish, Scottish and Welsh – but the Cornish were denied one.

“I remain extremely proud that 117,350 people made this conscious decision to ‘write-in’ Cornish. It was a very powerful statement of the strength of our national identity, and yet it represents a massive undercount of Cornish people because, unlike other national groups, we are denied a tick-box.

“It is important to continue to press for recognition in the next census and to challenge all Government departments and agencies, and public sector bodies, to include Cornish as an identity option on official forms.”

Please respond to the ONS consultations and demand a Cornish tickbox.

You can find out more at: https://consultations.ons.gov.uk.