Lib Dems and Conservatives are not supporting local businesses

Mebyon Kernow has challenged all political parties standing in Cornwall at the coming General Election to make sure that all their election leaflets are printed in Cornwall.

The Party for Cornwall is also accusing the Liberal Democrats and Conservatives of failing to support local businesses by having campaign literature printed ‘up-country.’

MK Party Leader Cllr Dick Cole, said:

“The Liberal Democrats and Conservatives have spent a small fortune on leaflets and election literature in recent months, but sadly have often used printing firms based outside of Cornwall.

Cllr Cole who is standing in the St Austell and Newquay seat, and presently has supporters out delivering a campaign leaflet printed in St Austell, added:

“We would appeal to all political parties to support Cornish printing firms in the coming weeks and months. Politicians who want to represent Cornwall in parliament should be helping to sustain local businesses in our villages and towns.”

Taking the new St Austell and Newquay constituency as an example, the Royal Mail has already delivered numerous Lib Dem and Tory leaflets to local residents during the last 12 months or so.

This literature contains the normal soundbites about fighting for local people and campaigning for Cornwall - but they seem to have a problem with using local businesses.

Some of the material from the Conservative candidate was produced in Surrey, but not one of the ten Liberal Democrat leaflets (which we have copies of) were printed in Cornwall. Three were printed in Devon, three in Dorset, two in London and two in Peterborough.

Loveday Jenkin, who will be standing for MK in Camborne and Redruth, has added her voice to the call for all parties to support local businesses.

“Mebyon Kernow has Cornwall’s best interests at heart. We support local businesses and seek to put money into the local economy. Other parties have shown their disdain for Cornwall by not using local companies in these difficult economic times.”

Loic Rich, MK’s PPC for the Truro and Falmouth seat, added:

“Every single piece of literature and every leaflet produced by Mebyon Kernow for the General Election will be printed in Cornwall. Our commitment is to local companies and I would hope that the other parties would follow our example.”