Blogs

"a name perpetual and a fame permanent and immortal" (Michael Joseph)

"Speak the truth and only then can you be free of your chains". (Thomas Flamank)

As crowds gathered in commemmoration in St Keverne & Bodmin and amongst Cornish diaspora, 'Kernow Matters' Secretary Matt made a hard hitting and well received speech during the Bodmin ceremony attended by Cornish folks and supporters, local Councillors and Clergy, Bards of Gorseth Kernow and many others.

This was followed by singing including of 'Trelawny' and 'Bro Goth Agan Tasow' (Old Land of Our Fathers)

I often think when I visit the ruins of the Keeil at Eary Cushlin that the ‘Christians’ must have been tough men in those days. It wasn’t just the living conditions and the environment (grand in summer but pretty testing in winter I would imagine). It was also just the chance that a passing Viking longship whose crew had not heard the word might pop in!

That was real dedication and I bet their wasn’t much doing when they handed round the collection plate - if they did back then - still!

The decision made by the British government yesterday not to sanction the building of a proposed £1.3bn tidal lagoon in Swansea Bay has been widely criticised in Wales. The scheme off Swansea Bay had £200m backing from the Welsh Government. Welsh First Minister Carwyn Jones has condemned the decision not to go ahead with the scheme.

Although the Westminster Government and Cornwall Council seem completely unaware of it, public concerns over the growing urbanisation of Cornwall continues to grow.

Never before have we witnessed so many protest sites occurring on social media accompanied by condemnatory postings.

PAG are holding a meeting this week at which alternatives to the NHS will be outlined. There’s the detail as always Manx Radio which at something of a loose end as MHKs and MLCs pack up their buckets and spades and swimming trunks for the long break has so far managed to turn this into several news items. I feel a sense of dread that more media ‘quackery’ will follow.

I’m less concerned by the impact of media quacks though than any 'reforms' in this direction that David Ashford MHK (Health Minister) deems worthy of sending our way.

Does I wonder Chief Minister Howard Quayle MHK see himself as a latter day Orson Welles there are aesthetic similarities after all!

The Isle of Man government likes to tout its links to China and there’s no doubt that quite a few politicians and Civil Servants have generated some exotic trips at our expense for themselves from such ties.

The Great Strike – Public Lecture with Dr John Callow will be held on 7th July 2018 at the Manx Museum at 2pm. This will be the most thoroughly researched presentation ever given on the events that led to and took place during the Manx General Strike. This is the centenary of the 1918 Manx General Strike

No doubt the Chinese official with the education brief will be all smiles on his visit to the Isle of Man in the next few days:

https://www.manxradio.com/news/isle-of-man-news/chinese-education-boss-v...

However China uses education as a weapon to destroy the culture of its political minorities such as the Uyghur.

While Department of Education officials in Mann showcase the Manx education system I am sure their guest will be all smiles.

It's nothing new for Tynwald members to keep bad company but in rolling out the red carpet (no pun) to a visiting senior official from the Chinese Embassy in London they are plumbing the depths.

China’s aggressive global expansion most epitomised by the territorial sea grab in South East Asia is bad enough but it is there treatment of national minorities that most inflames me.

The annexation and subjugation of Tibet are well publicised with many Tibetan families now into their second or third generation of exile in India.

Since just 2006 school children in Cornwall have rightly been allowed to record themselves (or via their parents for the younger ones) as ‘ethnically’ Cornish or at least identifying as Cornish, on the annual Schools Census - the Census and Pupil Level Annual Schools Census (PLASC).

Since then the number identifying as Cornish has risen from 24% to 51.1%

2006: 24 percent

2007: 27 percent

2008: 30 percent

2009: 34 percent

2010: 37 percent

2011: 41 percent

2012: 43.2 percent

2013: 46 percent