Politics of Cornwall
Encyclopedia
Cornwall
is currently administered as a county
of South West England
whose politics are influenced by a number of issues that make it distinct from the general political scene in the wider UK, and the political trends of neighbouring counties. Its position on the geographical periphery of the island of Great Britain
is also a factor.
Cornwall shares some of the political issues of the other "Celtic nations
", in particular Wales
, and a notable movement exists seeking greater powers of self-government
within the UK, similar to that achieved in Wales. Cornish politics is also defined by its historical relationship between the Liberal Democrats
(former Liberal party
), and the Conservative Party
, the main contenders for political office in Cornwall. There is also marked lack of organised trade unionism, and in many areas, Labour Party
support.
Historically, Cornwall was a Brythonic speaking area separate from the rest of England until about the 10th century, and retained much of its cultural distinctiveness in later centuries. Religious non-conformism was strong in Cornwall, and the Church of England
was less well supported than some areas to the east. This has continued to inform later Cornish politics, in the form of Liberalism, now represented mainly by the Liberal Democrats can be traced to historical associations with Liberalism and non-conformist religion, particularly Methodism
, in the 19th century and similarly land ownership and the Conservative party in the same period. The Conservative Party is also fairly strong in Cornwall, but for slightly different reasons. They suffered a particularly bad setback in the 1990s. However they regained three of the six Cornish seats in the 2010 general election. The Labour Party is traditionally much weaker in Cornwall than many other parts of the UK, although it has had some representation locally. This may be partly because there is no major urban centre in Cornwall - Plymouth
tends to fulfil that role. Cornwall also traditionally elects a number of independent councillors, and is a centre for the rump Liberal Party in the UK.
The distinctive nature of Cornish politics has led to a significant number of office holders from both the Liberal Democrats and the Conservative Party being supportive of greater Cornish autonomy. However with both parties this has never been official national policy. 1986 saw the death of the charismatic MP David Penhaligon
of the (then) Liberal Party
. Penhaligon's career looked promising, with some tipping him as a future leader. In a speech he made in support of the Cornish miners at Camborne
he said....
Cornwall's distinctiveness as a national, as opposed to regional, minority has been periodically recognised by major British papers. For example, a Guardian
editorial in 1990 pointed to these differences, and warned that they should be constitutionally recognised:
At a local level the tradition of Independent candidates and councillors is far stronger than most other areas. Mebyon Kernow
was formed in 1951, initially as a pressure group. Some of its members and supporters were politicians (councillors and MPs) from the three main British political parties, but later on, it became a party in its own right and members of other parties left. Its most famous supporter of the time was the novelist Daphne du Maurier
. One of Mebyon Kernow's main campaigns is for a Cornish Assembly
and in 2001 it presented a petition to 10 Downing Street
with 50,000 signatures in favour of the Assembly. This was backed up by Cornwall Council's Feb 2003 MORI
poll which showed 55% in favour of an elected, fully devolved regional assembly for Cornwall and 13% against. (Previous result 46% in favour in 2002).
Growing dissatisfaction with European Union
fishing policy including the Common Fisheries Policy
has recently led to a growth of support for United Kingdom Independence Party
(UKIP) within fishing ports such as Newlyn
. On 26 July 2007 the Conservative party appointed Mark Prisk
(Member of Parliament
for Hertford and Stortford) "Shadow Minister for Cornwall". This appointment was called "the fictional minister for Cornwall," by a Liberal Democrat MP, as there was no government minister to shadow. The post was not continued following the 2010 election, and no longer exists. This was to put the Duchy's concerns "at the heart of Conservative thinking", according to a party statement. Conservative Party leader David Cameron
said he wholeheartedly endorsed the appointment and it would ensure that the voice of Cornwall is heard. However, as the post has been discontinued, this concept remains unproven.
Before the 2010 boundary changes there were five constituencies in Cornwall. In the 2005 general election
, all five seats were won by Liberal Democrats
. However, at the 2010 general election Liberal Democrat candidates won three seats and Conservative
candidates won three seats.
See also 2010 United Kingdom general election result in Cornwall
.
, with the headquarters of Cornwall Council based in Truro
. Before April 2009, Cornwall was a non-metropolitan county that followed the three tier system typical of English shire counties
, and had six districts
: Penwith
, Kerrier
, Carrick
, Restormel
, Caradon
and North Cornwall
. Cornwall Council provides a wide range of services to more than half a million residents, has an annual budget of more than £1 billion, and is the biggest employer in Cornwall.
The Isles of Scilly
, which are part of the ceremonial county
of Cornwall, are not part of the Cornwall unitary authority, as they have their own unitary council.
and also another 249 (some of whom were also county councillors) on the six district councils. At the 2009 elections, the Liberal Democrats
lost overall control of Cornwall, with no single party gaining overall control of the new council. Although the Conservatives
now have the largest number of elected members, they do not have a majority. The Conservatives received 34% of the vote and won 50 seats, followed by the Liberal Democrats on 28% winning 38 seats, the Independents
23% and 32 seats, and Mebyon Kernow
4% and three seats. The turnout was 41%. Labour, the Green Party, UKIP and the BNP failed to secure any seats in Cornwall.
Two of the major factors in Cornish nationalism are the disputed position of Cornwall as separate constitutional entity within the UK and the rights of the Cornish people
as a minority. These issues affect all of those involved in Cornish politics, even those who are at odds with these ideas. Three UK political parties recognise the cause of Cornish self determination, the Liberal Party
, the Cornish section of the Green Party of England and Wales
and the Communist Party of Britain
.
An Gof
have also expressed Cornish nationalism, though not in political ways as much as violent ones.
The principal political party in the Cornish Nationalist movement is Mebyon Kernow
which labels itself as a 'centre-left, green and decentralist party' and has close association with its sister party Plaid Cymru
in Wales. Mebyon Kernow's membership is currently calculated at around 1000 members across Cornwall. In 1979, in the first elections to the European Parliament
, Mebyon Kernow won almost 10% (over 10,000 votes) of the vote in the Cornwall seat. This reflected a decade of steady growth for the party. MK continues to contest parliamentary seats and also local government seats.
In the 2010 general election, Mebyon Kernow fielded candidates in each of the constituencies in Cornwall. Their best result was in St Austell and Newquay seat where they came fourth with 4.2% of the votes, up 4% from the previous election.
In the other seats contested they came in;
North Cornwall: 5th, (last place) 1.1% of votes, -2.1%
South Cornwall: 6th (last place) 1.3% of votes, -0.4%
Truro and Falmouth: 5th 2.1% of votes, -0.4%
Camborne and Redruth: 5th 1.4% of votes +1.4%
St Ives 7th (last place) 0.8% of votes, +0.8%
All Mebyon kernow candidates lost their deposits.
In the district elections of 2007 seven Mebyon Kernow district councillors were elected. MK lost one district seat and gained two, a net gain of one. This gave them seven of the 249 seats (2.8% of seats) up for election. Mebyon Kernow got around 5 percent of the total vote in these district elections, putting the party in third position behind the Liberal Democrats and the Conservative Party and ahead of Labour in several seats including Kerrier
, Restormel
, North Cornwall
and Caradon
.
Several former Cornish MPs were also members of Mebyon Kernow, including Peter Bessell
(Liberal Party
), John Pardoe
(Liberal Party), David Mudd
(Conservative
), David Penhaligon
(Liberal Party) and currently Andrew George (Liberal Democrats
).
The Cornish Nationalist Party
was founded as a splinter group from Mebyon Kernow in the 1970s following a split over the ideological path of the Cornish National Movement, the members of the Cornish Nationalist party favouring a more 'right of centre approach' to attracting support. Initially led by Dr James Whetter
, the Cornish Nationalist Party are not currently a registered political party under the Registration of Political Parties Act 1998
and therefore cannot stand for local or Westminster elections.
In addition to political parties, other independent organisations promote the autonomy movement. The Cornish Stannary Parliament
is a human rights
pressure group which claims to be a revival of the mediaeval Stannary Parliaments, local legislative organisations in the mining regions. It was established in 1974 and had campaigned since then against the government of the United Kingdom's position on the constitutional status of Cornwall
. Other groups include TGG (Tyr-Gwyr-Gweryn), Cornwall 2000
, Cornish Solidarity
who are constitutional and Cornish human rights groups and the Cornish Constitutional Convention which campaigns for a Cornish Assembly
.
group, formed in this region, heavily dependent on the tourist industry. The Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament
(CND) has a local presence, with a branch in Penzance
. Some east Cornwall CND activists are members of the Plymouth
branch. There is a Cornish branch of Greenpeace
. Amnesty International
have a local branch.
Cornwall
Cornwall is a unitary authority and ceremonial county of England, within the United Kingdom. It is bordered to the north and west by the Celtic Sea, to the south by the English Channel, and to the east by the county of Devon, over the River Tamar. Cornwall has a population of , and covers an area of...
is currently administered as a county
Counties of England
Counties of England are areas used for the purposes of administrative, geographical and political demarcation. For administrative purposes, England outside Greater London and the Isles of Scilly is divided into 83 counties. The counties may consist of a single district or be divided into several...
of South West England
South West England
South West England is one of the regions of England defined by the Government of the United Kingdom for statistical and other purposes. It is the largest such region in area, covering and comprising Bristol, Gloucestershire, Somerset, Dorset, Wiltshire, Devon, Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly. ...
whose politics are influenced by a number of issues that make it distinct from the general political scene in the wider UK, and the political trends of neighbouring counties. Its position on the geographical periphery of the island of Great Britain
Great Britain
Great Britain or Britain is an island situated to the northwest of Continental Europe. It is the ninth largest island in the world, and the largest European island, as well as the largest of the British Isles...
is also a factor.
Cornwall shares some of the political issues of the other "Celtic nations
Celtic nations
The Celtic nations are territories in North-West Europe in which that area's own Celtic languages and some cultural traits have survived.The term "nation" is used in its original sense to mean a people who share a common traditional identity and culture and are identified with a traditional...
", in particular Wales
Wales
Wales is a country that is part of the United Kingdom and the island of Great Britain, bordered by England to its east and the Atlantic Ocean and Irish Sea to its west. It has a population of three million, and a total area of 20,779 km²...
, and a notable movement exists seeking greater powers of self-government
Cornish self-government movement
Cornish nationalism is an umbrella term that refers to a cultural, political and social movement based in Cornwall, the most southwestern part of the island of Great Britain, which has for centuries been administered as part of England, within the United Kingdom...
within the UK, similar to that achieved in Wales. Cornish politics is also defined by its historical relationship between the Liberal Democrats
Liberal Democrats
The Liberal Democrats are a social liberal political party in the United Kingdom which supports constitutional and electoral reform, progressive taxation, wealth taxation, human rights laws, cultural liberalism, banking reform and civil liberties .The party was formed in 1988 by a merger of the...
(former Liberal party
Liberal Party (UK)
The Liberal Party was one of the two major political parties of the United Kingdom during the 19th and early 20th centuries. It was a third party of negligible importance throughout the latter half of the 20th Century, before merging with the Social Democratic Party in 1988 to form the present day...
), and the Conservative Party
Conservative Party (UK)
The Conservative Party, formally the Conservative and Unionist Party, is a centre-right political party in the United Kingdom that adheres to the philosophies of conservatism and British unionism. It is the largest political party in the UK, and is currently the largest single party in the House...
, the main contenders for political office in Cornwall. There is also marked lack of organised trade unionism, and in many areas, Labour Party
Labour Party (UK)
The Labour Party is a centre-left democratic socialist party in the United Kingdom. It surpassed the Liberal Party in general elections during the early 1920s, forming minority governments under Ramsay MacDonald in 1924 and 1929-1931. The party was in a wartime coalition from 1940 to 1945, after...
support.
History
Cornwall's politics have partly been dictated by its geography and history. It is a peninsula, relatively distant from London, and its main industries - fishing, farming and various kinds of mining, have been in decline for a long time. Cornwall's GDP still remains low. However, Cornwall is attractive to tourists, and to people seeking to move into the area to live. There are therefore tensions in the housing market between the demands of inward migrants to the area, and the needs of local people.Historically, Cornwall was a Brythonic speaking area separate from the rest of England until about the 10th century, and retained much of its cultural distinctiveness in later centuries. Religious non-conformism was strong in Cornwall, and the Church of England
Church of England
The Church of England is the officially established Christian church in England and the Mother Church of the worldwide Anglican Communion. The church considers itself within the tradition of Western Christianity and dates its formal establishment principally to the mission to England by St...
was less well supported than some areas to the east. This has continued to inform later Cornish politics, in the form of Liberalism, now represented mainly by the Liberal Democrats can be traced to historical associations with Liberalism and non-conformist religion, particularly Methodism
Methodism
Methodism is a movement of Protestant Christianity represented by a number of denominations and organizations, claiming a total of approximately seventy million adherents worldwide. The movement traces its roots to John Wesley's evangelistic revival movement within Anglicanism. His younger brother...
, in the 19th century and similarly land ownership and the Conservative party in the same period. The Conservative Party is also fairly strong in Cornwall, but for slightly different reasons. They suffered a particularly bad setback in the 1990s. However they regained three of the six Cornish seats in the 2010 general election. The Labour Party is traditionally much weaker in Cornwall than many other parts of the UK, although it has had some representation locally. This may be partly because there is no major urban centre in Cornwall - Plymouth
Plymouth
Plymouth is a city and unitary authority area on the coast of Devon, England, about south-west of London. It is built between the mouths of the rivers Plym to the east and Tamar to the west, where they join Plymouth Sound...
tends to fulfil that role. Cornwall also traditionally elects a number of independent councillors, and is a centre for the rump Liberal Party in the UK.
The distinctive nature of Cornish politics has led to a significant number of office holders from both the Liberal Democrats and the Conservative Party being supportive of greater Cornish autonomy. However with both parties this has never been official national policy. 1986 saw the death of the charismatic MP David Penhaligon
David Penhaligon
David Charles Penhaligon was a British politician from Cornwall who was a Liberal Member of Parliament from October 1974 until his death...
of the (then) Liberal Party
Liberal Party (UK)
The Liberal Party was one of the two major political parties of the United Kingdom during the 19th and early 20th centuries. It was a third party of negligible importance throughout the latter half of the 20th Century, before merging with the Social Democratic Party in 1988 to form the present day...
. Penhaligon's career looked promising, with some tipping him as a future leader. In a speech he made in support of the Cornish miners at Camborne
Camborne
Camborne is a town and civil parish in west Cornwall, England, United Kingdom. It is at the western edge of a conurbation comprising Camborne, Pool and Redruth....
he said....
Cornwall's distinctiveness as a national, as opposed to regional, minority has been periodically recognised by major British papers. For example, a Guardian
The Guardian
The Guardian, formerly known as The Manchester Guardian , is a British national daily newspaper in the Berliner format...
editorial in 1990 pointed to these differences, and warned that they should be constitutionally recognised:
- "Smaller minorities also have equally proud visions of themselves as irreducibly WelshWelsh peopleThe Welsh people are an ethnic group and nation associated with Wales and the Welsh language.John Davies argues that the origin of the "Welsh nation" can be traced to the late 4th and early 5th centuries, following the Roman departure from Britain, although Brythonic Celtic languages seem to have...
, IrishIrish peopleThe Irish people are an ethnic group who originate in Ireland, an island in northwestern Europe. Ireland has been populated for around 9,000 years , with the Irish people's earliest ancestors recorded having legends of being descended from groups such as the Nemedians, Fomorians, Fir Bolg, Tuatha...
, Manx or Cornish. These identities are distinctly national in ways which proud people from YorkshireYorkshireYorkshire is a historic county of northern England and the largest in the United Kingdom. Because of its great size in comparison to other English counties, functions have been increasingly undertaken over time by its subdivisions, which have also been subject to periodic reform...
, much less proud people from BerkshireBerkshireBerkshire is a historic county in the South of England. It is also often referred to as the Royal County of Berkshire because of the presence of the royal residence of Windsor Castle in the county; this usage, which dates to the 19th century at least, was recognised by the Queen in 1957, and...
will never know. Any new constitutional settlement which ignores these factors will be built on uneven ground."
At a local level the tradition of Independent candidates and councillors is far stronger than most other areas. Mebyon Kernow
Mebyon Kernow
Mebyon Kernow is a left-of-centre political party in Cornwall, United Kingdom. It primarily campaigns for devolution to Cornwall in the form of a Cornish Assembly, as well as social democracy and environmental protection.MK was formed as a pressure group in 1951, and contained as members activists...
was formed in 1951, initially as a pressure group. Some of its members and supporters were politicians (councillors and MPs) from the three main British political parties, but later on, it became a party in its own right and members of other parties left. Its most famous supporter of the time was the novelist Daphne du Maurier
Daphne du Maurier
Dame Daphne du Maurier, Lady Browning DBE was a British author and playwright.Many of her works have been adapted into films, including the novels Rebecca and Jamaica Inn and the short stories "The Birds" and "Don't Look Now". The first three were directed by Alfred Hitchcock.Her elder sister was...
. One of Mebyon Kernow's main campaigns is for a Cornish Assembly
Cornish Assembly
The Cornish Assembly is a proposed devolved regional assembly for Cornwall in the United Kingdom along the lines of the Scottish Parliament, National Assembly for Wales and Northern Ireland Assembly.-Overview:...
and in 2001 it presented a petition to 10 Downing Street
10 Downing Street
10 Downing Street, colloquially known in the United Kingdom as "Number 10", is the headquarters of Her Majesty's Government and the official residence and office of the First Lord of the Treasury, who is now always the Prime Minister....
with 50,000 signatures in favour of the Assembly. This was backed up by Cornwall Council's Feb 2003 MORI
MORI
Ipsos MORI is the second largest market research organisation in the United Kingdom, formed by a merger of Ipsos UK and MORI, two of the Britain's leading survey companies in October 2005...
poll which showed 55% in favour of an elected, fully devolved regional assembly for Cornwall and 13% against. (Previous result 46% in favour in 2002).
Growing dissatisfaction with European Union
European Union
The European Union is an economic and political union of 27 independent member states which are located primarily in Europe. The EU traces its origins from the European Coal and Steel Community and the European Economic Community , formed by six countries in 1958...
fishing policy including the Common Fisheries Policy
Common Fisheries Policy
The Common Fisheries Policy is the fisheries policy of the European Union . It sets quotas for which member states are allowed to catch what amounts of each type of fish, as well as encouraging the fishing industry by various market interventions...
has recently led to a growth of support for United Kingdom Independence Party
United Kingdom Independence Party
The United Kingdom Independence Party is a eurosceptic and right-wing populist political party in the United Kingdom. Whilst its primary goal is the UK's withdrawal from the European Union, the party has expanded beyond its single-issue image to develop a more comprehensive party platform.UKIP...
(UKIP) within fishing ports such as Newlyn
Newlyn
Newlyn is a town and fishing port in southwest Cornwall, England, United Kingdom.Newlyn forms a conurbation with the neighbouring town of Penzance and is part of Penzance civil parish...
. On 26 July 2007 the Conservative party appointed Mark Prisk
Mark Prisk
Michael Mark Prisk is a Conservative Party politician in the United Kingdom. He is the Member of Parliament for Hertford and Stortford, and was appointed Minister of State for the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills in May 2010...
(Member of Parliament
Member of Parliament
A Member of Parliament is a representative of the voters to a :parliament. In many countries with bicameral parliaments, the term applies specifically to members of the lower house, as upper houses often have a different title, such as senate, and thus also have different titles for its members,...
for Hertford and Stortford) "Shadow Minister for Cornwall". This appointment was called "the fictional minister for Cornwall," by a Liberal Democrat MP, as there was no government minister to shadow. The post was not continued following the 2010 election, and no longer exists. This was to put the Duchy's concerns "at the heart of Conservative thinking", according to a party statement. Conservative Party leader David Cameron
David Cameron
David William Donald Cameron is the current Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, First Lord of the Treasury, Minister for the Civil Service and Leader of the Conservative Party. Cameron represents Witney as its Member of Parliament ....
said he wholeheartedly endorsed the appointment and it would ensure that the voice of Cornwall is heard. However, as the post has been discontinued, this concept remains unproven.
Westminster representation
Following a review by the Boundary Commission for England taking effect at the 2010 general election, Cornwall is divided into six county constituencies to elect MPs to the House of Commons of the United Kingdom.Before the 2010 boundary changes there were five constituencies in Cornwall. In the 2005 general election
United Kingdom general election, 2005
The United Kingdom general election of 2005 was held on Thursday, 5 May 2005 to elect 646 members to the British House of Commons. The Labour Party under Tony Blair won its third consecutive victory, but with a majority of 66, reduced from 160....
, all five seats were won by Liberal Democrats
Liberal Democrats
The Liberal Democrats are a social liberal political party in the United Kingdom which supports constitutional and electoral reform, progressive taxation, wealth taxation, human rights laws, cultural liberalism, banking reform and civil liberties .The party was formed in 1988 by a merger of the...
. However, at the 2010 general election Liberal Democrat candidates won three seats and Conservative
Conservative Party (UK)
The Conservative Party, formally the Conservative and Unionist Party, is a centre-right political party in the United Kingdom that adheres to the philosophies of conservatism and British unionism. It is the largest political party in the UK, and is currently the largest single party in the House...
candidates won three seats.
Current Cornish MPs
- Camborne & Redruth: George EusticeGeorge EusticeCharles George Eustice is a British Conservative Party politician, who was elected at the 2010 general election as the Member of Parliament for Camborne and Redruth....
(ConservativeConservative Party (UK)The Conservative Party, formally the Conservative and Unionist Party, is a centre-right political party in the United Kingdom that adheres to the philosophies of conservatism and British unionism. It is the largest political party in the UK, and is currently the largest single party in the House...
) - North CornwallNorth Cornwall (UK Parliament constituency)North Cornwall is a county constituency represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. It elects one Member of Parliament by the first past the post system of election.- Boundaries :...
: Dan RogersonDan RogersonDaniel John Rogerson is a Cornish Liberal Democrat politician. He has been the Member of Parliament for North Cornwall since the 2005 General election.-Early life:...
(Liberal Democrat) - South East Cornwall: Sheryll MurraySheryll MurraySheryll Murray is a Conservative Party politician. She has been the Member of Parliament for South East Cornwall since the 2010 general election.-Early life:...
(ConservativeConservative Party (UK)The Conservative Party, formally the Conservative and Unionist Party, is a centre-right political party in the United Kingdom that adheres to the philosophies of conservatism and British unionism. It is the largest political party in the UK, and is currently the largest single party in the House...
) - St Austell & Newquay: Steve GilbertStephen Gilbert (UK politician)Stephen David John "Steve" Gilbert is a British Liberal Democrat politician, who was elected the Member of Parliament for the new constituency of St Austell and Newquay at the 2010 general election.-Background:...
(Liberal Democrat) - St IvesSt Ives (UK Parliament constituency)St. Ives is a county constituency represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. It elects one Member of Parliament by the first past the post system of election.-History:...
: Andrew George (Liberal Democrat) - Truro & Falmouth: Sarah NewtonSarah NewtonSarah Louise Newton FRSA née Hick is a British Conservative Party politician, who was elected at the 2010 general election as the Member of Parliament for Truro and Falmouth.-Early life:...
(ConservativeConservative Party (UK)The Conservative Party, formally the Conservative and Unionist Party, is a centre-right political party in the United Kingdom that adheres to the philosophies of conservatism and British unionism. It is the largest political party in the UK, and is currently the largest single party in the House...
)
See also 2010 United Kingdom general election result in Cornwall
2010 United Kingdom general election result in Cornwall
The results of the 2010 United Kingdom general election in Cornwall were all announced on Friday 7 May 2010. Cornwall received one new constituency for this election, bringing the total to six, after boundary changes issued by the Boundary Commission for England.-Overall results:-Seat by seat:As a...
.
Cornwall Council
As of 1 April 2009 Cornwall became a unitary authorityUnitary authority
A unitary authority is a type of local authority that has a single tier and is responsible for all local government functions within its area or performs additional functions which elsewhere in the relevant country are usually performed by national government or a higher level of sub-national...
, with the headquarters of Cornwall Council based in Truro
Truro
Truro is a city and civil parish in Cornwall, England, United Kingdom. The city is the centre for administration, leisure and retail in Cornwall, with a population recorded in the 2001 census of 17,431. Truro urban statistical area, which includes parts of surrounding parishes, has a 2001 census...
. Before April 2009, Cornwall was a non-metropolitan county that followed the three tier system typical of English shire counties
Shire county
A non-metropolitan county, or shire county, is a county-level entity in England that is not a metropolitan county. The counties typically have populations of 300,000 to 1.4 million. The term shire county is, however, an unofficial usage. Many of the non-metropolitan counties bear historic names...
, and had six districts
Non-metropolitan district
Non-metropolitan districts, or colloquially shire districts, are a type of local government district in England. As created, they are sub-divisions of non-metropolitan counties in a so-called "two-tier" arrangement...
: Penwith
Penwith
Penwith was a local government district in Cornwall, England, United Kingdom, whose council was based in Penzance. The district covered all of the Penwith peninsula, the toe-like promontory of land at the western end of Cornwall and which included an area of land to the east that fell outside the...
, Kerrier
Kerrier
Kerrier was a local government district in Cornwall, England, United Kingdom. It was the most southerly district in the United Kingdom, other than the Isles of Scilly. Its council was based in Camborne ....
, Carrick
Carrick, Cornwall
Carrick was a local government district in Cornwall, England, United Kingdom. Its council was based in Truro. The main centres of population, industry and commerce were the city of Truro and the towns of Falmouth/Penryn....
, Restormel
Restormel
Restormel was a borough of Cornwall, United Kingdom, one of the six administrative divisions that made up the county. Its council was based in St Austell . Other towns included Newquay....
, Caradon
Caradon
Caradon was a local government district in Cornwall, United Kingdom. It contained five towns: Callington, Liskeard, Looe, Saltash and Torpoint, and over 80 villages and hamlets within 41 civil parishes...
and North Cornwall
North Cornwall
North Cornwall was the largest of the six local government districts of Cornwall, United Kingdom. Its council was based in Wadebridge . Other towns in the district included Bude, Bodmin, Launceston, Padstow, and Camelford....
. Cornwall Council provides a wide range of services to more than half a million residents, has an annual budget of more than £1 billion, and is the biggest employer in Cornwall.
The Isles of Scilly
Isles of Scilly
The Isles of Scilly form an archipelago off the southwestern tip of the Cornish peninsula of Great Britain. The islands have had a unitary authority council since 1890, and are separate from the Cornwall unitary authority, but some services are combined with Cornwall and the islands are still part...
, which are part of the ceremonial county
Ceremonial counties of England
The ceremonial counties are areas of England to which are appointed a Lord Lieutenant, and are defined by the government as counties and areas for the purposes of the Lieutenancies Act 1997 with reference to the metropolitan and non-metropolitan counties of England and Lieutenancies Act 1997...
of Cornwall, are not part of the Cornwall unitary authority, as they have their own unitary council.
Cornwall Council election results, 4 June 2009
Elections for the new unitary Cornwall Council were held on 4 June 2009, and 123 members were elected, replacing the previous 82 councillors of Cornwall County CouncilCornwall County Council
Cornwall Council is the unitary authority for Cornwall, in England, United Kingdom. The council, and its predecessor Cornwall County Council, has a tradition of large groups of independents, having been controlled by independents in the 1970s and 1980s...
and also another 249 (some of whom were also county councillors) on the six district councils. At the 2009 elections, the Liberal Democrats
Liberal Democrats
The Liberal Democrats are a social liberal political party in the United Kingdom which supports constitutional and electoral reform, progressive taxation, wealth taxation, human rights laws, cultural liberalism, banking reform and civil liberties .The party was formed in 1988 by a merger of the...
lost overall control of Cornwall, with no single party gaining overall control of the new council. Although the Conservatives
Conservative Party (UK)
The Conservative Party, formally the Conservative and Unionist Party, is a centre-right political party in the United Kingdom that adheres to the philosophies of conservatism and British unionism. It is the largest political party in the UK, and is currently the largest single party in the House...
now have the largest number of elected members, they do not have a majority. The Conservatives received 34% of the vote and won 50 seats, followed by the Liberal Democrats on 28% winning 38 seats, the Independents
Independent (politician)
In politics, an independent or non-party politician is an individual not affiliated to any political party. Independents may hold a centrist viewpoint between those of major political parties, a viewpoint more extreme than any major party, or they may have a viewpoint based on issues that they do...
23% and 32 seats, and Mebyon Kernow
Mebyon Kernow
Mebyon Kernow is a left-of-centre political party in Cornwall, United Kingdom. It primarily campaigns for devolution to Cornwall in the form of a Cornish Assembly, as well as social democracy and environmental protection.MK was formed as a pressure group in 1951, and contained as members activists...
4% and three seats. The turnout was 41%. Labour, the Green Party, UKIP and the BNP failed to secure any seats in Cornwall.
Cornish nationalism
- Main articles: Cornish nationalism, Constitutional status of CornwallConstitutional status of CornwallCornwall is currently administered as a unitary authority and ceremonial county of England.However, a number of organisations and individuals question the constitutional basis for the administration of Cornwall as part of England, arguing that the Duchy Charters of 1337 place the governance of...
Two of the major factors in Cornish nationalism are the disputed position of Cornwall as separate constitutional entity within the UK and the rights of the Cornish people
Cornish people
The Cornish are a people associated with Cornwall, a county and Duchy in the south-west of the United Kingdom that is seen in some respects as distinct from England, having more in common with the other Celtic parts of the United Kingdom such as Wales, as well as with other Celtic nations in Europe...
as a minority. These issues affect all of those involved in Cornish politics, even those who are at odds with these ideas. Three UK political parties recognise the cause of Cornish self determination, the Liberal Party
Liberal Party (UK, 1989)
The Liberal Party is a United Kingdom political party. It was formed in 1989 by a group of individuals within the original Liberal Party who felt that the merger of the party with the Social Democratic Party, to form the Liberal Democrats, had ended the spirit of the Liberal Party, claiming that...
, the Cornish section of the Green Party of England and Wales
Green Party of England and Wales
The Green Party of England and Wales is a political party in England and Wales which follows the traditions of Green politics and maintains a strong commitment to social progressivism. It is the largest Green party in the United Kingdom, containing within it various regional divisions including...
and the Communist Party of Britain
Communist Party of Britain
The Communist Party of Britain is a communist political party in Great Britain. Although founded in 1988 it traces its origins back to 1920 and the Communist Party of Great Britain, and claims the legacy of that party and its most influential members Harry Pollitt and John Gollan as its...
.
An Gof
An Gof
An Gof is a militant Cornish nationalist group. The organisation takes its name from the trade of Michael Joseph , An Gof , being Cornish for 'The Smith', a leader of the Cornish Rebellion of 1497....
have also expressed Cornish nationalism, though not in political ways as much as violent ones.
Cornish nationalist and/or regionalist organisations
- Main articles: Mebyon KernowMebyon KernowMebyon Kernow is a left-of-centre political party in Cornwall, United Kingdom. It primarily campaigns for devolution to Cornwall in the form of a Cornish Assembly, as well as social democracy and environmental protection.MK was formed as a pressure group in 1951, and contained as members activists...
The principal political party in the Cornish Nationalist movement is Mebyon Kernow
Mebyon Kernow
Mebyon Kernow is a left-of-centre political party in Cornwall, United Kingdom. It primarily campaigns for devolution to Cornwall in the form of a Cornish Assembly, as well as social democracy and environmental protection.MK was formed as a pressure group in 1951, and contained as members activists...
which labels itself as a 'centre-left, green and decentralist party' and has close association with its sister party Plaid Cymru
Plaid Cymru
' is a political party in Wales. It advocates the establishment of an independent Welsh state within the European Union. was formed in 1925 and won its first seat in 1966...
in Wales. Mebyon Kernow's membership is currently calculated at around 1000 members across Cornwall. In 1979, in the first elections to the European Parliament
European Parliament
The European Parliament is the directly elected parliamentary institution of the European Union . Together with the Council of the European Union and the Commission, it exercises the legislative function of the EU and it has been described as one of the most powerful legislatures in the world...
, Mebyon Kernow won almost 10% (over 10,000 votes) of the vote in the Cornwall seat. This reflected a decade of steady growth for the party. MK continues to contest parliamentary seats and also local government seats.
In the 2010 general election, Mebyon Kernow fielded candidates in each of the constituencies in Cornwall. Their best result was in St Austell and Newquay seat where they came fourth with 4.2% of the votes, up 4% from the previous election.
In the other seats contested they came in;
North Cornwall: 5th, (last place) 1.1% of votes, -2.1%
South Cornwall: 6th (last place) 1.3% of votes, -0.4%
Truro and Falmouth: 5th 2.1% of votes, -0.4%
Camborne and Redruth: 5th 1.4% of votes +1.4%
St Ives 7th (last place) 0.8% of votes, +0.8%
All Mebyon kernow candidates lost their deposits.
In the district elections of 2007 seven Mebyon Kernow district councillors were elected. MK lost one district seat and gained two, a net gain of one. This gave them seven of the 249 seats (2.8% of seats) up for election. Mebyon Kernow got around 5 percent of the total vote in these district elections, putting the party in third position behind the Liberal Democrats and the Conservative Party and ahead of Labour in several seats including Kerrier
Kerrier
Kerrier was a local government district in Cornwall, England, United Kingdom. It was the most southerly district in the United Kingdom, other than the Isles of Scilly. Its council was based in Camborne ....
, Restormel
Restormel
Restormel was a borough of Cornwall, United Kingdom, one of the six administrative divisions that made up the county. Its council was based in St Austell . Other towns included Newquay....
, North Cornwall
North Cornwall
North Cornwall was the largest of the six local government districts of Cornwall, United Kingdom. Its council was based in Wadebridge . Other towns in the district included Bude, Bodmin, Launceston, Padstow, and Camelford....
and Caradon
Caradon
Caradon was a local government district in Cornwall, United Kingdom. It contained five towns: Callington, Liskeard, Looe, Saltash and Torpoint, and over 80 villages and hamlets within 41 civil parishes...
.
Several former Cornish MPs were also members of Mebyon Kernow, including Peter Bessell
Peter Bessell
Peter Joseph Bessell was a British Liberal Party politician, and Member of Parliament for Bodmin in Cornwall from 1964 to 1970....
(Liberal Party
Liberal Party (UK)
The Liberal Party was one of the two major political parties of the United Kingdom during the 19th and early 20th centuries. It was a third party of negligible importance throughout the latter half of the 20th Century, before merging with the Social Democratic Party in 1988 to form the present day...
), John Pardoe
John Pardoe
John Wentworth Pardoe is a retired British businessman and Liberal Party politician.-Education:Educated at Corpus Christi College, Cambridge, he was active in the famous Footlights Society; one critic of their 1955 revue panned future comedian Jonathan Miller whilst predicting a bold comedic...
(Liberal Party), David Mudd
David Mudd
William David Mudd , known as David Mudd, is a British politician.He was Conservative MP for Falmouth and Camborne from 1970 until 1992, when he stood down. It was considered a surprise when he decided to stand in his old constituency in the 2005 general election as an independent candidate...
(Conservative
Conservative Party (UK)
The Conservative Party, formally the Conservative and Unionist Party, is a centre-right political party in the United Kingdom that adheres to the philosophies of conservatism and British unionism. It is the largest political party in the UK, and is currently the largest single party in the House...
), David Penhaligon
David Penhaligon
David Charles Penhaligon was a British politician from Cornwall who was a Liberal Member of Parliament from October 1974 until his death...
(Liberal Party) and currently Andrew George (Liberal Democrats
Liberal Democrats
The Liberal Democrats are a social liberal political party in the United Kingdom which supports constitutional and electoral reform, progressive taxation, wealth taxation, human rights laws, cultural liberalism, banking reform and civil liberties .The party was formed in 1988 by a merger of the...
).
The Cornish Nationalist Party
Cornish Nationalist Party
The Cornish Nationalist Party , , is an unregistered political party in the United Kingdom, led by Dr James Whetter and campaigning for independence for Cornwall. It was formed by people who left Mebyon Kernow on 28 May 1975. The party ceased to exist in 2005, although it claimed to have reformed...
was founded as a splinter group from Mebyon Kernow in the 1970s following a split over the ideological path of the Cornish National Movement, the members of the Cornish Nationalist party favouring a more 'right of centre approach' to attracting support. Initially led by Dr James Whetter
James Whetter
James C. A. Whetter is a noted Cornish historian and editor of The Cornish Banner , a Cornish journal. His books include The History of Glasney College Padstow: Tabb House, 1988; Cornwall in the Seventeenth Century. Padstow: Lodenek Press, 1974; and The History of Falmouth Redruth: Dyllansow...
, the Cornish Nationalist Party are not currently a registered political party under the Registration of Political Parties Act 1998
Registration of Political Parties Act 1998
The Registration of Political Parties Act 1998 , or An Act to make provision about the registration of political parties was an act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom to set up a register of political parties in the United Kingdom. Previously there had been no such register, and political...
and therefore cannot stand for local or Westminster elections.
In addition to political parties, other independent organisations promote the autonomy movement. The Cornish Stannary Parliament
Revived Cornish Stannary Parliament
The Revived Cornish Stannary Parliament , is a pressure group which claims to be a revival of the historic Cornish Stannary Parliament last held in 1753...
is a human rights
Human rights
Human rights are "commonly understood as inalienable fundamental rights to which a person is inherently entitled simply because she or he is a human being." Human rights are thus conceived as universal and egalitarian . These rights may exist as natural rights or as legal rights, in both national...
pressure group which claims to be a revival of the mediaeval Stannary Parliaments, local legislative organisations in the mining regions. It was established in 1974 and had campaigned since then against the government of the United Kingdom's position on the constitutional status of Cornwall
Constitutional status of Cornwall
Cornwall is currently administered as a unitary authority and ceremonial county of England.However, a number of organisations and individuals question the constitutional basis for the administration of Cornwall as part of England, arguing that the Duchy Charters of 1337 place the governance of...
. Other groups include TGG (Tyr-Gwyr-Gweryn), Cornwall 2000
Cornwall 2000
Cornwall 2000 is a Cornish nationalist pressure group based in Bodmin, Cornwall, United Kingdom. The group was formed by John Angarrack, who has authored revisionist books on the history of Cornwall and has participated in the Cornish nationalist scene. The organisation is headquartered at John...
, Cornish Solidarity
Cornish Solidarity
Cornish Solidarity is a Cornish organisation founded in February 1998. It was founded by the then President of Redruth and District Chamber of Commerce, Mr Greg Woods, who having been disgusted at the press being notified of the demise of South Crofty Mine before the staff and workers of the mine,...
who are constitutional and Cornish human rights groups and the Cornish Constitutional Convention which campaigns for a Cornish Assembly
Cornish Assembly
The Cornish Assembly is a proposed devolved regional assembly for Cornwall in the United Kingdom along the lines of the Scottish Parliament, National Assembly for Wales and Northern Ireland Assembly.-Overview:...
.
Seneth an Stenegow Kernow (Cornish Stannary Parliament)
The Cornish Stannary Parliament (Seneth an Stenegow Kernow) are another pressure group but do not stand in elections at present. The Cornish Stannary Parliament is the original governing body of Cornwall's historic tin mining community. Today it plays a key role in ensuring that the people, land and heritage of Cornwall are treated fairly in the eyes of a UK legal system that some consider to be failing in its capacity to recognise Cornwall's distinct constitutional position.Other issues and lobby groups
Within Cornwall there are a growing number of pressure groups/lobbying groups devoted to Cornish issues other than the national question. Local environmental issues feature prominently, notably the Surfers against SewageSurfers against Sewage
Surfers Against Sewage is a campaign for clean, safe recreational water free from sewage effluents, toxic chemicals, nuclear waste and marine litter. SAS also campaigns to protect surf spots from environmental damage, negative impacts on wave quality and to safeguard wave riders right of access....
group, formed in this region, heavily dependent on the tourist industry. The Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament
Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament
The Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament is an anti-nuclear organisation that advocates unilateral nuclear disarmament by the United Kingdom, international nuclear disarmament and tighter international arms regulation through agreements such as the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty...
(CND) has a local presence, with a branch in Penzance
Penzance
Penzance is a town, civil parish, and port in Cornwall, England, in the United Kingdom. It is the most westerly major town in Cornwall and is approximately 75 miles west of Plymouth and 300 miles west-southwest of London...
. Some east Cornwall CND activists are members of the Plymouth
Plymouth
Plymouth is a city and unitary authority area on the coast of Devon, England, about south-west of London. It is built between the mouths of the rivers Plym to the east and Tamar to the west, where they join Plymouth Sound...
branch. There is a Cornish branch of Greenpeace
Greenpeace
Greenpeace is a non-governmental environmental organization with offices in over forty countries and with an international coordinating body in Amsterdam, The Netherlands...
. Amnesty International
Amnesty International
Amnesty International is an international non-governmental organisation whose stated mission is "to conduct research and generate action to prevent and end grave abuses of human rights, and to demand justice for those whose rights have been violated."Following a publication of Peter Benenson's...
have a local branch.
Other Cornish politicians
- Doris Ansari (Chairman Cornwall County Council)
- List of all Cornwall County Councillors
- Dick Cole - (leader of Mebyon KernowMebyon KernowMebyon Kernow is a left-of-centre political party in Cornwall, United Kingdom. It primarily campaigns for devolution to Cornwall in the form of a Cornish Assembly, as well as social democracy and environmental protection.MK was formed as a pressure group in 1951, and contained as members activists...
) - Paul Tyler - (Liberal DemocratsLiberal DemocratsThe Liberal Democrats are a social liberal political party in the United Kingdom which supports constitutional and electoral reform, progressive taxation, wealth taxation, human rights laws, cultural liberalism, banking reform and civil liberties .The party was formed in 1988 by a merger of the...
) Life peerLife peerIn the United Kingdom, life peers are appointed members of the Peerage whose titles cannot be inherited. Nowadays life peerages, always of baronial rank, are created under the Life Peerages Act 1958 and entitle the holders to seats in the House of Lords, presuming they meet qualifications such as... - Mark PriskMark PriskMichael Mark Prisk is a Conservative Party politician in the United Kingdom. He is the Member of Parliament for Hertford and Stortford, and was appointed Minister of State for the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills in May 2010...
- former Shadow Minister for Cornwall & MPMember of ParliamentA Member of Parliament is a representative of the voters to a :parliament. In many countries with bicameral parliaments, the term applies specifically to members of the lower house, as upper houses often have a different title, such as senate, and thus also have different titles for its members,...
(was a new position with no government opposite number)
Elections and results
- Truro by-election, 1987Truro by-election, 1987The Truro by-election, 1987, was caused by the death of David Penhaligon, the Liberal Member of Parliament for Truro on 22 December 1986 in a car crash near the city. The election was held on 12 March 1987...
- 2001 United Kingdom general election result in Cornwall2001 United Kingdom general election result in CornwallThe following are the 2001 United Kingdom general election results in Cornwall.-Overall results:-Seat by seat:-See also:*1997 results in Cornwall*2005 results in Cornwall*Constituencies in Cornwall...
- 2005 United Kingdom general election result in Cornwall2005 United Kingdom general election result in CornwallThe following are the 2005 United Kingdom general election result in Cornwall.-Overall results:-Seat by seat:-See also:*2001 results in Cornwall*2010 results in Cornwall*Constituencies in Cornwall-References:...
- 2010 United Kingdom general election result in Cornwall2010 United Kingdom general election result in CornwallThe results of the 2010 United Kingdom general election in Cornwall were all announced on Friday 7 May 2010. Cornwall received one new constituency for this election, bringing the total to six, after boundary changes issued by the Boundary Commission for England.-Overall results:-Seat by seat:As a...
- Cornwall local electionsCornwall local electionsCornwall Council in England, UK, is elected every four years. From 1973 to 2005 elections were for Cornwall County Council, with the first election for the new unitary Cornwall Council held in June 2009...
- Cornwall Council election, 2009Cornwall Council election, 2009Elections to Cornwall Council, the Unitary Authority for Cornwall took place on 4 June 2009, the same day as other United Kingdom local elections, 2009....
Parliamentary representation from Cornwall
- St Ives (UK Parliament constituency)St Ives (UK Parliament constituency)St. Ives is a county constituency represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. It elects one Member of Parliament by the first past the post system of election.-History:...
- Camborne and Redruth (UK Parliament constituency)
- Truro and Falmouth (UK Parliament constituency)
- St Austell and Newquay (UK Parliament constituency)
- North Cornwall (UK Parliament constituency)North Cornwall (UK Parliament constituency)North Cornwall is a county constituency represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. It elects one Member of Parliament by the first past the post system of election.- Boundaries :...
- South East Cornwall (UK Parliament constituency)
Historic Cornish Parliamentary constituencies
- Bodmin (UK Parliament constituency)Bodmin (UK Parliament constituency)Bodmin was the name of a parliamentary constituency in Cornwall from 1295 until 1983. Initially, it was a parliamentary borough, which returned two Members of Parliament to the House of Commons of England and later the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom until the 1868 general...
- Bossiney (UK Parliament constituency)Bossiney (UK Parliament constituency)Bossiney was a parliamentary constituency in Cornwall, one of a number of Cornish rotten boroughs, and returned two Members of Parliament to the British House of Commons from 1552 until 1832, when it was abolished by the Great Reform Act.-History:...
- Callington (UK Parliament constituency)Callington (UK Parliament constituency)Callington was a rotten borough in Cornwall which returned two Members of Parliament to the House of Commons in the English and later British Parliament from 1585 to 1832, when it was abolished by the Reform Act 1832.-History:...
- Camelford (UK Parliament constituency)Camelford (UK Parliament constituency)Camelford was a rotten borough in Cornwall which returned two Members of Parliament to the House of Commons in the English and later British Parliament from 1552 to 1832, when it was abolished by the Great Reform Act.-History:...
- Cornwall (UK Parliament constituency)Cornwall (UK Parliament constituency)Cornwall is a former county constituency covering the county of Cornwall, in the South West of England. It was a constituency of the House of Commons of England then of the House of Commons of Great Britain from 1707 to 1800 and of the House of Commons of the United Kingdom from 1801 to 1832...
- East Cornwall (UK Parliament constituency)East Cornwall (UK Parliament constituency)East Cornwall was a county constituency in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. It elected two Members of Parliament by the bloc vote system of election.- Boundaries :...
- West Cornwall (UK Parliament constituency)West Cornwall (UK Parliament constituency)West Cornwall was a county constituency in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. It elected two Members of Parliament by the bloc vote system of election.- Boundaries :...
- East Looe (UK Parliament constituency)East Looe (UK Parliament constituency)East Looe was a parliamentary borough represented in the House of Commons of England from 1571 to 1707, in the House of Commons of Great Britain from 1797 to 1800, and finally in the House of Commons of the United Kingdom from 1801 until its abolition in 1832. It elected two Members of Parliament ...
- East Looe and West Looe (UK Parliament constituency)
- Falmouth and Camborne (UK Parliament constituency)
- Fowey (UK Parliament constituency)Fowey (UK Parliament constituency)Fowey was a rotten borough in Cornwall which returned two Members of Parliament to the House of Commons in the English and later British Parliament from 1571 to 1832, when it was abolished by the Great Reform Act.-History:...
- Grampound (UK Parliament constituency)Grampound (UK Parliament constituency)Grampound in Cornwall, was a borough constituency of the House of Commons of the Parliament of England, then of the Parliament of Great Britain from 1707 to 1800 and of the Parliament of the United Kingdom from 1801 to 1821. It was represented by two Members of Parliament.-History:Grampound's...
- Helston (UK Parliament constituency)Helston (UK Parliament constituency)Helston, sometimes known as Helleston, was a parliamentary borough centred on the small town of Helston in Cornwall.Using the bloc vote system of election, it returned two Members of Parliament to the House of Commons of England until 1707, then to House of Commons of Great Britain until 1800, and...
- Launceston (UK Parliament constituency)Launceston (UK Parliament constituency)Launceston, also known at some periods as Dunheved, was a parliamentary constituency in Cornwall which returned two Members of Parliament to the British House of Commons from 1295 until 1832, and one member from 1832 until 1918...
- Liskeard (UK Parliament constituency)Liskeard (UK Parliament constituency)Liskeard was a parliamentary borough in Cornwall, which elected two Members of Parliament to the House of Commons from 1295 until 1832, and then one member from 1832 until 1885, when the borough was abolished.- History :...
- Lostwithiel (UK Parliament constituency)Lostwithiel (UK Parliament constituency)Lostwithiel was a rotten borough in Cornwall which returned two Members of Parliament to the House of Commons in the English and later British Parliament from 1304 to 1832, when it was abolished by the Great Reform Act.-History:...
- Mitchell (UK Parliament constituency)Mitchell (UK Parliament constituency)Mitchell, or St Michael was a rotten borough consisting of the town of Mitchell, Cornwall. From the first Parliament of Edward VI, in 1547, it elected two members to the Unreformed House of Commons.-History:The borough encompassed parts of two parishes, Newlyn East and St Enoder...
- Newport (Cornwall) (UK Parliament constituency)Newport (Cornwall) (UK Parliament constituency)Newport was a rotten borough situated in Cornwall. It is now within the town of Launceston, which was itself also a parliamentary borough at the same period...
- Penryn (UK Parliament constituency)Penryn (UK Parliament constituency)Penryn was a parliamentary borough in Cornwall, which elected two Members of Parliament to the House of Commons of England from 1553 until 1707, to the House of Commons of Great Britain from 1707 to 1800, and finally to the House of Commons of the United Kingdom from 1801 to until 1832...
- Penryn and Falmouth (UK Parliament constituency)Penryn and Falmouth (UK Parliament constituency)Penryn and Falmouth was the name of a constituency in Cornwall represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom from 1832 until 1950. From 1832 to 1885 it was a parliamentary borough returning two Members of Parliament , elected by the bloc vote system...
- St Austell (UK Parliament constituency)St Austell (UK Parliament constituency)St Austell was a parliamentary constituency centred on the town of St Austell in Cornwall. It returned one Member of Parliament to the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom....
- St Germans (UK Parliament constituency)St Germans (UK Parliament constituency)St Germans was a rotten borough in Cornwall which returned two Members of Parliament to the House of Commons in the English and later British Parliament from 1562 to 1832, when it was abolished by the Great Reform Act.-History:...
- St Mawes (UK Parliament constituency)St Mawes (UK Parliament constituency)St Mawes was a rotten borough in Cornwall. It returned two Members of Parliament ) to the House of Commons of England from 1562 to 1707, to the House of Commons of Great Britain from 1707 to 1800, and to the House of Commons of the United Kingdom until it was abolished by the Great Reform Act in...
- Saltash (UK Parliament constituency)Saltash (UK Parliament constituency)Saltash, sometimes called Essa, was a "rotten borough" in Cornwall which returned two Members of Parliament to the House of Commons in the English and later British Parliament from 1552 to 1832, when it was abolished by the Great Reform Act.-History:...
- Tregony (UK Parliament constituency)Tregony (UK Parliament constituency)Tregony was a rotten borough in Cornwall which was represented in the Model Parliament of 1295, and returned two Members of Parliament to the English and later British Parliament continuously from 1562 to 1832, when it was abolished by the Great Reform Act....
- Truro (UK Parliament constituency)
- Truro and St Austell (UK Parliament constituency)Truro and St Austell (UK Parliament constituency)Truro and St Austell was a county constituency represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. It elected one Member of Parliament by the first past the post system of election.-Boundaries:...
- West Looe (UK Parliament constituency)West Looe (UK Parliament constituency)West Looe was a rotten borough represented in the House of Commons of England from 1535 to 1707, in the House of Commons of Great Britain from 1797 to 1800, and in the House of Commons of the United Kingdom from 1801 to 1832. It elected two Members of Parliament by the bloc vote system of election...
Constitutional status of Cornwall
- Revived Cornish Stannary ParliamentRevived Cornish Stannary ParliamentThe Revived Cornish Stannary Parliament , is a pressure group which claims to be a revival of the historic Cornish Stannary Parliament last held in 1753...
- Cornwall (territorial duchy)
- Duchy of CornwallDuchy of CornwallThe Duchy of Cornwall is one of two royal duchies in England, the other being the Duchy of Lancaster. The eldest son of the reigning British monarch inherits the duchy and title of Duke of Cornwall at the time of his birth, or of his parent's succession to the throne. If the monarch has no son, the...
- Duke of CornwallDuke of CornwallThe Duchy of Cornwall was the first duchy created in the peerage of England.The present Duke of Cornwall is The Prince of Wales, the eldest son of Queen Elizabeth II, the reigning British monarch .-History:...
- Royal Commission on the Constitution (United Kingdom)Royal Commission on the Constitution (United Kingdom)The Royal Commission on the Constitution, also referred to as the Kilbrandon Commission or Kilbrandon Report, was a long-running royal commission set up by Harold Wilson's Labour government to examine the structures of the constitution of the United Kingdom and the British Islands and the...
- Constitutional status of CornwallConstitutional status of CornwallCornwall is currently administered as a unitary authority and ceremonial county of England.However, a number of organisations and individuals question the constitutional basis for the administration of Cornwall as part of England, arguing that the Duchy Charters of 1337 place the governance of...
- Stannary Courts and ParliamentsStannary Courts and ParliamentsThe Stannary Parliaments and Stannary Courts were legislative and legal institutions in Cornwall and in Devon , England. The Stannary Courts administered equity for the region's tin-miners and tin mining interests, and they were also courts of record for the towns dependent on the mines...
- Cornwall Commonwealth Games Association
- Cornish self-government movementCornish self-government movementCornish nationalism is an umbrella term that refers to a cultural, political and social movement based in Cornwall, the most southwestern part of the island of Great Britain, which has for centuries been administered as part of England, within the United Kingdom...
- Mebyon KernowMebyon KernowMebyon Kernow is a left-of-centre political party in Cornwall, United Kingdom. It primarily campaigns for devolution to Cornwall in the form of a Cornish Assembly, as well as social democracy and environmental protection.MK was formed as a pressure group in 1951, and contained as members activists...
- Celtic League (political organisation)Celtic League (political organisation)The Celtic League is a non-governmental organisation that promotes self-determination and Celtic identity and culture in Ireland, Scotland, Wales, Brittany, Cornwall and the Isle of Man, known as the Celtic nations. It places particular emphasis on the indigenous Celtic languages...
- Cornish AssemblyCornish AssemblyThe Cornish Assembly is a proposed devolved regional assembly for Cornwall in the United Kingdom along the lines of the Scottish Parliament, National Assembly for Wales and Northern Ireland Assembly.-Overview:...
- Cornish Nationalist PartyCornish Nationalist PartyThe Cornish Nationalist Party , , is an unregistered political party in the United Kingdom, led by Dr James Whetter and campaigning for independence for Cornwall. It was formed by people who left Mebyon Kernow on 28 May 1975. The party ceased to exist in 2005, although it claimed to have reformed...
- Fry an SpyrysFry an SpyrysFry an Spyrys is a group based in Cornwall, UK, who are campaigning for the disestablishment of the Church of England there...