Infighting at Westminster illustrates Kernow's need for full and meaningful devolution
The fiasco of the Labour party UK government infighting at Westminster highlights the need for Cornwall to continue the battle for its own devolution. Scotland and Wales now have parties which control their own devolved parliaments which fully support their Celtic national ambitions and policies. Kernow needs the same and to join these and the smaller Crown dependencies such as the Isle of Man and in the Channel Island. We need to evolve our own policies to remedy issues which are understood far better here in Kernow than in faraway Westminster.
Kier Starmer’s days are numbered with few loyal allies in his cabinet, save the likes of Rachel Reeves. Starmer’s loyalty to her has been his undoing. Her intransigent ideals has seen the UK economy stagnate, increase taxes for most people and destroy countless businesses across the UK. Sadly this government has been one of carrying out its own idealistic, ideologically driven policies rather than realistic pragmatic strategies. Have any in the cabinet ever run a business? No! Would you put them in charge of a tuck shop, I wouldn’t. New labour laws really make employing new people difficult. Net Zero with mad Ed is costing a fortune. The Chagos Island deal is another waste of money of no benefit to the people of the UK or the former islanders themselves.
This is the issue; they really don’t seem to understand the real world outside their political English orientated bubble. This is what is holding the UK back. For us in Kernow we need that fire break in the form of full meaningful devolution. This would allow a Senedh Kernow to better control our economy, to grow and solve many of the social issues faced here such as affordable housing and youth unemployment.
21/06/2026
Will a Burnham premiership benefit Cornwall and its people?
Well the Westminster Labour Party has ousted Prime Minister Sir Kier Starmer less than two years since he led them to a landslide victory. It looks as if Andy Burnham will be a shoo in as the next leader of the UK government. Perran Moon the Cornish MP for Redruth, Camborne and Hayle confirmed his support in a Sky news interview and that this is the highly likely outcome. Potential voters and MP’s in fear for their jobs have been led by the nose by mainline media who love nothing better than the scent of blood.
Perran Moon mentioned his support for fiscal rules and avoiding financial waste on debt interest by spooking the bond markets is important. He mentions also investment in infrastructure, which in Cornwall includes the Strategic Mineral Resource Project. The likely new Chancellor will set out their plans and taxation will be part of that. Reeves has done a great job in helping destroy countless businesses across the country, including Cornwall. Will Burnham’s new cabinet have someone who understands business especially those falling in the medium, small, and micro brackets. Thousands of businesses in Cornwall are desperately trying to avoid taking on new workers due to employment costs, regulations and attempting to keep below the VAT threshold.
What else this means for Cornwall is yet to be seen. Perran together with the other Cornish Labour and LibDem MP’s, have been fighting for a meaningful devolution feal for Cornwall. Burnham is said to be a strong believer in devolution, which sounds great for Cornwall. However, what we must not trust that this will give Cornwall what Konsel Kernow and our six MP’s at Westminster have been negotiating for.
Devolution for Cornwall within its historic borders would certainly further help protect our cultural heritage. We in Cornwall understand our problems around affordable housing and jobs for young people as well as a myriad of other local issues. What would be disastrous for Cornwall would be to be combined in a cross border English mayoral entity with Plymouth or other part of Devon. Burnham with his background as a former Mayor of Greater Manchester may support that combination view. Cornwall would be subsumed and our Cornish voice lost, so that battle will continue.
28/06/2026