Incinerator - Idiomatic of Westminster Government

Eric Pickles has spoken. With a stroke of his pen he has consigned a democratic process, by which Cornwall had said no to the incinerator (now to be built in St Dennis) to the bin. So much for commitment to local people from Cornish Conservatives and so much for commitment to localism from national Conservatives.

Before the election David Cameron promised a ‘Minister for Cornwall’. As soon as the deal with the Liberal Democrats was done, Mr Cameron reneged on that promise - claiming that Cornwall had 6 MPs at the heart of government. All six Tory and Lib Dem Cornish MPs campaigned against the incinerator and yet Mr Pickles seems to have ignored their opinion as much as he has ignored the people of Cornwall – so much for a strong Cornish voice at the heart of Westminster!

In fact Mr Pickles appears to have given more importance to the perfidy shown by the Conservative Leader of Cornwall Council, Alec Robertson. Mr Robertson has previously voted against the incinerator project but then wrote a secret letter to his boss in Westminster, pleading for the findings of the Cornwall Council Planning Committee to be over-ruled. This is surely a betrayal on the same scale as that shown by the Liberal Democrats when they jettisoned their pre-election pledges for a taste of Westminster power.

Indeed this betrayal has led to Stephen Gilbert MP popping up on Radio Cornwall feigning indignation and anger at what has happened. The problem is, Mr Gilbert, it was your party that created the problem in the first place by creating the contract with SITA. I also find it extremely hard to believe anything you say given the way you go back on your pledges. Who can forget Mr Gilbert holding his pledge on tuition fees which was so dramatically discarded as soon as he took his seat in Westminster. In fact Mr Gilbert’s feigned anger on behalf of the people of St Dennis was very reminiscent of his speech back in October when he promised that his job was to vote against the government over Devonwall – just before he meekly went through the lobby and cast his vote to discard Cornwall’s ancient border in favour of joining Cornwall and Devon. Sorry Mr Gilbert, I can’t trust a word you say.

Perhaps the Labour Party can give us some strong leadership. Unfortunately not. Just as they were totally divided over the recent AV vote, the Labour party in Cornwall seem to be split on the incinerator issue. While Jude Robinson has come out firmly in favour of the incinerator other notable members of Labour in Cornwall have made it clear that they believe that the incinerator is bad for Cornwall.

The only party that has consistently argued against the incinerator project is Mebyon Kernow – The Party for Cornwall. Dick Cole has a wealth of experience and knowledge of this case and has acted in a statesmanlike manner throughout the whole process. It is clear that the only party that can always be trusted to put Cornwall first is Mebyon Kernow – The Party for Cornwall. Cllr Cole will continue to do all that he can to help the residents of St Dennis in their continued fight – just as MK will continue its fight to put Cornwall’s interests before those of Westminster.

Perfidy!

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.