The Party for Cornwall set out its determination to win seats on the new unitary council

Mebyon Kernow members gathered in Bodmin on Saturday (22nd November) for the Party’s Annual General Meeting and Conference.

In a rousing speech, Party Leader Cllr Dick Cole hit out at the three main London-centred political parties for refusing to support devolution for Cornwall and blasted the Liberal Democrats for undemocratically forcing a single tier council on the people of Cornwall.

He challenged MK members to campaign like never before to ensure that a large number of Mebyon Kernow councillors are elected to the new unitary council, when the elections are finally allowed to be held.

“We have never been in favour of the Liberal Democrat’s unitary experiment and it has now descended into farce. Any sensible government would pull the plug on the whole debacle – but that is not going to happen.

“Our priority must be to look forward” he said.

“It is right that we condemn the unitary shambles and remind one and all of who is responsible and of their arrogant disregard for the people of Cornwall.

“But we also have to get out there and show the people of Cornwall that there is an alternative to all those undistinguished politicians that cannot be trusted to defend Cornish interests.

“We have to take them on at the ballot box, we have to defeat them and put Cornish Nationalists at the heart of local government in Cornwall.”

Topics debated by party members at the event included self-government for Cornwall and the future local government. The policy statement agreed at the Conference will be officially published in early December.

Issues such as the economy, environmental protection, housing, taxation and the Framework Convention for National Minorities were also debated

As well as the Party Leader, principal MK speakers at the event also included Cllr Andrew Long (Chairman of South East Cornwall constituency party), Cllr Conan Jenkin (prospective parliamentary candidate for Truro and Falmouth) and Cllr Loveday Jenkin (PPC for Camborne and Redruth).

Representatives of Mebyon Kernow’s sister parties were also present. These included Steffan Lewis from Plaid Cymru (PPC for Islwyn) and Gwendal Rioual from the Union Démocratique Bretonne in Brittany.

In his address to the Conference, Steffan Lewis explained how Plaid Cymru – the Party of Wales had played a massive role in winning a National Assembly for Wales, were now part of the administration in Cardiff and were continuing to campaign to increase the powers of the Assembly. Commenting on the situation in Cornwall, he said:

“You have had confirmation of the ignorance and arrogance of the British government on matters relating to Cornwall – with them forcing a unitary authority on Cornwall despite massive opposition.

“The abolition of the South West Regional Assembly offers the best opportunity for a Cornish Assembly and the UK government can never be forgiven for failing the people of Cornwall by not taking this course of action.”

Mr Lewis wished MK well for the 2009 elections and said that he was confident that the Party would do extremely well.

Officers and National Executive elected at the meeting were as follows:

• Leader – Cllr Dick Cole (Fraddon)
• Deputy Leader (Campaigns) – Cllr Phil Rendle (Penzance)
• Deputy Leader (Services) – Cllr Conan Jenkin (Truro)
• Treasurer – Hilda Wasley (Threemilestone)
• Economic development spokesperson – Cllr Andrew Long (Callington)
• Environmental protection spokesperson - Zoe Fox (Camborne)
• Public services spokesperson – Cllr Loic Rich (Truro)
• Social justice spokesperson - Cllr Stuart Cullimore (Camborne)
• Global issues spokesperson - Joanie Willett (Fraddon)

Nominated constituency representatives:

Cllr Mike Champion (Camborne), Ray Chubb (Portreath), Cllr Helene Cullimore (Camborne), Pete Dudley (Falmouth), Jon Flower (Whitemoor), Cllr Roger Holmes (Liskeard), Allister Mills (St Austell), Cllr Loveday Jenkin (Praze-an-Beeble), Cllr Simon Reed (Penzance), Cllr Glenn Renshaw (Saltash), Mat Ripley (Truro).