Keep Cornwall Whole - No 'Devonwall'

News from Kernow Matters To Us:

Introduction

One of our steering group members, Tony Leamon, has released the following letter to the local press and media. It has also been sent for the attention of Sam Hartley at the Boundaries Commission, an unelected Civil Servant who apparently feels that in publicly declaring 'Devonwall' as being inevitable, has completely ignored the wishes of our people, our Cornwall Council and elected Councillors, our Cornish Gorsedh as well as over ruled our elected MPs, Parliament, House of Lords and democratic process. 

Will these faceless bureaucrats come to meet us during public consultations we wonder? What happened to democracy or are all decisions regarding such matters and future gerrymandering to be handled by unelected quangos?

This communication together with the attached paper 'The Case for Cornwall' written by Craig Weatherhill of Kernow Matters, Bard of the Cornish Gorsedh, archaeologist, historian, writer and scholar of long standing, who also has knowledge of Cornwall’s constitutional status, has been forwarded here to in excess of 1,000 people, KMTU members of all political persuasions, local and Westminster politicians, political parties, the Council of Europe and many others.

Let none be in any doubt at all the combined passion we share for our homeland of Cornwall during this time of external threat.

Some things are far more important than politics!

The letter

Kernow - 10th September, 2016

On 8th September, 2016 the local press carried the news that a gentleman by the name of Sam Hartley, secretary to the Boundary Commission for England had announced that a cross-border 'Devonwall' Westminster Parliamentary Constituency was 'unavoidable' and that there 'will be a Cornwall-Devon constituency'.

This constituency will take in Bude and Launceston in Cornwall and Bideford in Devon.

Gary Streeter, Conservative MP for South West Devon described the electorate as being 'relaxed' about this.

On 17th May, 2016, Cornwall Council voted overwhelmingly to support a proposal to lobby central government to amend the Parliamentary and Voting System Act 2011 to ensure that a cross-Tamar Devonwall parliamentary seat is not created through the present Boundary Review. 

Since then, many others have spoken in opposition to this outrageous move to cast to one side Cornwall's 1,000 year old border including the Cornish Gorsedh, Lord Paul Tyler, Mebyon Kernow, members of all political parties, campaign groups and most importantly of all, the public. Provisions contained within the Framework Convention for the Protection of National Minorities into which the Cornish were admitted in 2014 have been completely ignored.

So, this Sam Hartley, an unelected civil servant has briefed the media otherwise. 

Well, we ask, why bother with democracy? The coming public consultation will doubtless be a sham so why bother with any elected representatives - Councillors or MPs? After all, unelected Civil Servants know best apparently!

'Kernow Matters' of which I am a Steering Group Member maintains an enormous presence on social media and we made a point of releasing Sam Hartley's comments. Now viewed by in excess of 23,000 people most of whom are in Cornwall but with a fair number being Cornish folks and friends elsewhere as well as people in Devon and other places, I am happy to inform both Mr Hartley, the civil servant, andGary Streeter, the MP, that the reaction has been utter outrage and anger! In fact, we have even received communications from members of the Conservative Party who stand firmly against this ill-conceived 'Devonwall' scheme. Further, many residents both sides of the border in the affected towns have spoken out firmly in opposition.

If the unelected Boundaries Commission or Mr. Streeter think that we will take this announcement laying down, then we advise them to think again.

This sham of a review and threat to Cornwall, already rejected on a number of occasions down the years, is based on out of date population numbers which take no account of the current free for all in residential housing development in Cornwall which is seeing our population increase monthly.

Our organisation is pleased to work with anyone who stands against this movement of our time honoured border and we invite one and all to communicate their utter disgust to their MP and all and any other elected representatives regarding the complete ignorance shown by the Boundaries Commission to the Cornish people, Cornwall, the people of Devon and indeed democracy. Further, we invite those Cornish people who have contacted us and who are Conservative Party members to remind their MPs that some matters are more important that politics and that they should reconsider 'Devonwall' or face resignations.

You can write to your MP and all other elected representatives free of charge via this website: https://www.writetothem.com/

This is the beginning - not the end and a copy of this letter has been sent for the attention of this unelected Sam Hartley at the Boundaries Commission.

Na wrewgh tava agan ordir! Kernow bys vyken ! 

(Hands off our border! Cornwall for ever!)

Tony Leamon

Steering Group Member

Kernow Matters To Us

#KeepCornwallWhole

To get the facts on Cornwall, read County, Duchy, Nation or Country? The Case For Cornwall.