Is the West Briton Biased?

Below is the text of a letter that I sent to the West Briton. I sent it in a week before the paper was due to be published. In the same edition there Sarah newton gives her Conservative view of 'devolution' and  an overtly party political letter from Simon Rix was published.

People often say that they believe that the West Briton is biased against MK but I have always said that I didn't believe this to be the case. However, I do begin to wonder given that I have had several letters rejected since I became the PPC for Mebyon Kernow whereas previously my letters were mainly printed.

I have sent a letter to the West Briton asking them where I am going wrong that they don't think my letters fit to be published on such a regular basis. I'll have to wiat and see if I get a reply.

18/9/14

Today the people of Scotland will decide whether or not their country will become independent.

Whichever way the vote goes it has become clear in recent months that the United Kingdom will never be the same again. All over the island of Britain, from John O’Groats to Land’s End or from Aberystwyth to Great Yarmouth people have been discussing the implications of the Scottish debate and their utter disillusionment with a centralised Westminster government.

The Westminster political parties have all espoused the benefits of the union – yet it becomes clearer every day that they are defending their own party political interests by setting out the imagined benefits of a highly centralised system of government.

At the same time each London based party sets out its own tawdry interpretation of ‘devolution’ in an attempt to appear that they might be prepared to give up some of their power to allow people run their own affairs.

The Tories try to convince us that placing responsibility for massive amounts of public spending into the hands of unelected and politically appointed quangos is devolution. Where is the local democracy? This is not devolution it is privatisation by the back door.

Meanwhile Labour is certain that regional bodies are the answer. Cornwall would get swamped in a ‘South West England’ region. It would have a miniscule political voice and an even smaller opportunity to develop the Cornish economy.

Of the London based parties the Liberal Democrats shout the loudest in favour of devolution for Cornwall and yet have failed to set out their vision for Cornish devolution. They have no clearly defined plan as to exactly what powers they believe Cornwall deserve or how any new powers might be used. Another vague pledge to be discarded when the going gets tough.

The only party that has set out a clear proposal for real and democratic devolution to Cornwall is Mebyon Kernow. The Party for Cornwall believes that people of Cornwall should be responsible for the vast majority of public spending in Cornwall through an elected national legislative Assembly.  MK is the only party that has a proposal for devolution that will do what it says on the can!

CLLR STEPHEN RICHARDSON

MEBYON KERNOW – THE PARTY FOR CORNWALL

PROSPECTIVE PARLIAMENTARY CANDIDATE FOR TRURO AND FALMOUTH