Cornish National Party Poised For Electoral Breakthrough - Champions of the Cornish Language and Celtic Identity

The Party For Cornwall (Mebyon Kernow) is poised for an electoral breakthrough in representation on Cornwall County Council.  In an article on the Mebyon Kernow (MK) party conference held in the Cornish town of Truro, the website "This is Cornwall" quotes the noted Cornish historian Dr. Bernard Deacon. Dr Deacon is based at the Institute of Cornish Studies at the University of Exeter and is the author of several works on Cornish identity,  including "Mebyon Kernow and Cornish Nationalism". Dr. Deacon stated:

Mebyon Kernow came very close to a spectacular breakthrough.  If just 140 voters in five wards had switched their votes to Mebyon Kernow, the party would have won nine seats rather than four it ended with.

If the MK were to emerge as an influentail voice on the Cornwall County Council, given its support for a Cornish Assembly, there would be enormous implications for the future of the Celtic identity and the Celtic language of Cornwall.  This is in the context of the recent statement issued by the Celtic League calling on the United Kingdom to recognise the Celtic nation of Cornwall under the "European Framework Convention for the Protection of National Minorities".

The MK website gives us the following:  

Mebyon Kernow exists to win greater recognition for the historic nation of Cornwall and the rights of its people. It is leading the campaign to win greater powers for Cornwall through the creation of our own legislative Cornish Assembly. MK members work hard to protect Cornwall’s unique identity, its language, traditions and its distinct constitutional position. They have been instrumental in numerous campaigns including those for increased signage in the Cornish language, and for the Cornish people to be protected through the Framework Convention on National Minorities. They have also played leading roles in the fight against Coalition plans for a Devonwall parliamentary seat and the “Pasty Tax.”

• MK councillors will represent the only political party campaigning for the recognition of Cornwall as a distinct national community for all forms of governance and administration.
• MK members will support increased investment in the Cornish language (Kernewek) and all aspects of Cornish culture and heritage.
• MK members will continue to call for a full Inquiry into the Duchy of Cornwall and Cornwall’s ambiguous constitutional relationship with the Crown, and the contradictions between our constitutional status and current administrative arrangements.

http://www.thisiscornwall.co.uk/Party-Cornwall-looks-make-political-breakthrough/story-20083513-detail/story.html#axzz2kqOcLLu0

https://www.mebyonkernow.org/policies/policy.php?id=25