Mebyon Kernow says “now is the time to reinvigorate the debate”

Mebyon Kernow – the Party for Cornwall has welcomed the decision of Liberal Democrat MP Dan Rogerson to table a ‘Government of Cornwall’ Bill in the House of Commons today.

MK considers the actual bill to be flawed, but hopes that the MP’s action will lead to renewed discussions about the need for greater self-government for Cornwall.

Commenting on the developments, Party Leader Cllr Dick Cole said:

“Dan Rogerson’s call for powers to be devolved to Cornwall and the very concept of a ‘Government of Cornwall’ Bill is to be welcomed. It is our hope that this will help to reinvigorate the debate about the need for a Cornish Assembly. Sadly, the bill is flawed and fails to understand or make any distinctions between regional government for Cornwall and local government.”

Dan Rogerson’s ‘Government of Cornwall’ Bill proposes that powers equivalent to the Welsh Assembly should be transferred to the new Cornwall Council which would also continue as a local council.

Cllr Dick Cole, who is also the leader of the three-strong MK group on Cornwall, added:

“Cornwall’s new unitary authority is a local government body – no different in legal terms, for example, to the 22 unitary councils which operate in Wales beneath the Welsh Assembly.

“It makes no sense for the functions of local government (Cornwall Council) and regional government (Cornish Assembly) to sit within one body.

“Cornwall needs the greatest devolution possible to a powerful Cornish Assembly (pulling down powers from regional quangos and central government) AND democratically-elected local government, delivering good-quality public services.”

MK’s Deputy Leader and Constitutional Affairs Spokesman Cllr Phil Rendle added:

“Dan Rogerson is to be congratulated for tabling his draft Government of Cornwall Bill. He has brought the Cornish question to the right place – Parliament – and in the correct way – through primary legislation.

“We should press Government to provide parliamentary time for a proper second reading debate and call on the Government and all MPs to take Cornwall’s case for self-determination seriously by tabling amendments that will strengthen the Bill.

“Mebyon Kernow prefers a more ambitious Bill leading to a National Assembly for Cornwall with powers equivalent to that of the Scottish Parliament. This would require a more detailed ‘road map’ of new measures, amendments and repeals, but at least the parliamentary log-jam has been broken.

“Everyone who has the future of Cornwall at heart should take the opportunity to lift our eyes up from local government reform to achieving a powerful Cornish Assembly in the future to work with re-empowered local government.”