If you believe in social justice Mebyon Kernow could just be your natural home. In a world where the word Socialism has been abandoned, even by Labour, our party stands proudly to the left of the three dominant parties actively campaigning in Cornwall today. We believe that a policy of prioritising social justice is ultimately in the interests of all sections of the community. While we are concerned that Cornwall develops a strong economy we want to see the benefits of that development shared by all Cornish citizens. Our members campaign tirelessly for housing policies that benefit the people not just developers, arguing for more affordable housing and a reduction of second homes. We want Cornish residents to have good access to the best possible public services based here in Cornwall. We demand parity of funding per head of population with the rest of the UK and have continuously lobbied successive governments to give Cornwall its fair share of investment.
Green it up
Mebyon Kernow is very concerned about environmental issues affecting Cornwall. We have a long record of challenging the UK Government and Cornwall Council on green issues. These fall into three main areas: Development, Waste and Energy.
Development plans for Cornwall are unjustified and unsustainable. Housing targets, involving many developments which are entirely inappropriate for the local population, threaten wide tracts of agricultural land. Should this pace of development continue Cornwall would be 50% urban by the end of the century. Agriculture is a key industry in Cornwall which also has a rich wildlife and beautiful landscape attracting many visitors annually. MK pledges itself to fight these absurd government targets for mass housing developments in any way it can.
In the area of waste, MK supports the policy of 100% recycling of waste as the greenest, most cost effective and sustainable in the long term. However, the Government is forcing a massive incinerator upon us at St Dennis notwithstanding its rejection by a public enquiry. Cornwall Council stands to lose millions of pounds annually through this polluting white elephant. MK has campaigned against the incinerator and will continue to oppose it with the support of Friends of the Earth.
MK wants to see the development in Cornwall of alternative energy technology. With the existence of the Wave Hub and Cornwall's naturally advantageous position for wind and wave power, we believe that with appropriate investment Cornwall could again become a world leader in cutting edge technology to the benefit of both her work force and the world environment.
Strengthen Democracy through Autonomy
We are the only political party in Cornwall consistently putting Cornwall's interests first. No one in a distant urban centre is tugging at our strings. Because of this we are at liberty to say that the system imposed upon us is broken and not working in the best interests of our people. We firmly believe in the Democratic principal and hold that for an administration to be truly democratic it must be built from the bottom up. Decisions should be taken as near to the grass roots level as is practicable. Therefore we continue campaigning for devolution to a Cornish National Assembly and for it to have the necessary powers to make important decisions that affect Cornwall on Cornish soil, where they matter most.
Why should Cornwall be granted a National Assembly? Cornwall has a right to ask for greater autonomy on the grounds that the Cornish constitute a UK National Minority in the same way as the Scots and the Welsh. This may seem strange to those who are unaware of Cornwall's unique History but Cornwall's nationhood is simply a matter of historic fact. Aspects of Cornish history are rarely taught and barely understood throughout most of the UK. None the less, the fact remains that Cornwall is several centuries older than England and has its own language which we support, as we also support all aspects of Cornwall's unique culture.
Support Cornwall's EU interests
The idea of Empire and Dominion should have no place in today's world. Our future as part of a wider moral society and family of nations in Europe is being ruined by backward looking imperialist nostalgia. Post-imperial states tend to bargain from a one sided position of self interest rather than channelling their energies into creating a better and more humane future for all European Citizens. Enhancing the democratic process by allowing all the historic nations of Europe to speak on appropriate matters with their own authentic voices, is one way of reducing the drag created by over powerful, post-imperial states.
Cornwall's interests have not always been well represented by the UK in Strasbourg and Brussels. What comeback do we have? Through MK we do have other potential channels of communication because Cornwall is not alone in its lack of appropriate representation at home and abroad and we have valuable friends in Europe. Mebyon Kernow is now allied to a number similar parties throughout Europe, who make common cause on the EU stage as The European Free Alliance. Together the Alliance forms a significant block in the European Parliament. Because the UK Government currently refuses to allow Cornwall regional status, embedding Cornwall instead in the greater SW Region, it is impossible to have our own independent representative in The European Parliament, so the Alliance is of great value to us.
Become an Activist for Cornwall
Mebyon Kernow offers you a chance to make a difference right here where you live. Even if you live far away yet still love Cornwall, there may be things you could do to contribute, lifting the burden, helping Cornwall and Cornish communities reach their full potential. MK councillors punch above their weight and provide sensible and constructive input at the heart of debates in all levels of local government in Cornwall. The Party receives neither the patronage of big business or wealthy individuals. This means we are not subject to vested interests. Our greatest asset is our membership. We always need more people to join and volunteer in order to support our activists and councillors who are pivotal in the social, political and cultural campaigning we do in Cornwall. We are also looking for talented, principled and ambitious people to stand for office. Maybe you're ready for the challenge.
