Before the general election David Cameron made a great show of appointing Mark Prisk, born in Redruth, as the Shadow Minister for Cornwall. This was trumpeted as recognition of the importance that Cornwall was to be given by the Conservatives if they became the next government.
No sooner than the ink was dry on the ballot papers in May it became clear that there was to be no minister for Cornwall. The reason [sic] given was that as Cornwall had six MPs at the heart of the coalition government it would not be necessary to have a minister for Cornwall after all.
The “perfidious six” have so much influence at the heart of government that when they formed a delegation to meet with David Cameron - TO STOP THE CREATION OF ONE OR MORE CROSS-BORDER CONSTITUENCIES. However, he paid no attention to them whatsoever. They have all since voted in the way that David Cameron would want so perhaps their message wasn’t quite as they portrayed it to the media at the photo opportunity outside 10 Downing Street.
For example, after claiming that “It was his job to vote against the government” (at the Saltash Keep Cornwall Whole rally) Stephen Gilbert, along with all six of Cornwall’s MPs (the Cornish voice at the heart of government) failed to vote against the Bill. A Bill which will see Cornwall’s historic national border lose its thousand year old integrity.
Despite cries of betrayal from the Labour party their record is no better. Let’s not forget that it was the Labour party that wanted to merge Cornwall’s distinctiveness within the “South West” region. If anyone believes that Labour has had a sudden revelation and has become pro-Cornwall over-night then consider this - the only reason that Labour are opposing this Bill is because the gerrymandering of constituencies will see them lose their enormous electoral advantage over the other two Westminster parties.
What is absolutely clear is that the only party which consistently, wholeheartedly (and without reference to any London headquarters) puts Cornwall first is Mebyon Kernow, the Party for Cornwall.
