Group summons 16th century law to fight border change
Legislation more than half millennium old could be used by campaigners keen to derail parliamentary border changes.
The Cornish Stannary Parliament has revealed its reasons for objecting to a review of Westminster constituency boundaries and quoted 16th century laws as grounds on which to veto changes with which it disagrees.
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Draft proposals have been put forward by the Boundary Commission to cut the number of MPs from 650 to 600 and create constituencies with more equal numbers of voters, which would create five constituencies within Cornwall and a sixth, “Devonwall”, straddling the Tamar.
A Keep Cornwall Whole campaign group and others have objected to a cross-border MP.
In a statement, the Cornish Stannary Parliament said: “The national border between Kernow and Wessex was firmly established to be at the eastern bank of the River Tamar for all time by an agreement between Hywel (King of Kernow) and Athelstan (King of Wessex) in the year AD936.
“This national border marked the division between two very different peoples, the Celtic Cornish and the Anglo-Saxon English, as indeed it does today. It also defines the territory of the ancient Stannaries of Kernow and the later Duchy of Cornwall dominion.
“Such national borders also mark the difference between disparate cultures, customs, religions, histories, language and heritage. Indeed, the border is part of the spirit and soul of Cornish people.”
“The Cornish are the elder of the remaining indigenous peoples of Britain, having inhabited their own territory for at least 17,000 years, whereas the non-indigenous Anglo-Saxon English people to the east of the Tamar can claim 1,000 years as a people in their own right.
“The people being most like the ancient Britons are those from Cornwall, in the latest genetic study as documented in the recent book Face Of Britain. To attempt to diminish the territory (country or land) of the most ancient surviving nation of the island of Britain can only be viewed by the Cornish as yet another step by the big boot of nationalistic colonialism in its latest assimilative attempt to create a Greater England.
In a nod to the history of Cornwall, the statement says the county “is not part of England or the UK”.: “Cornwall was excluded from the union between England, Scotland and Wales in 1707 and, therefore, is not part of England or the UK.
It adds: “Any violation of the territorial integrity of Cornwall by the UK Westminster Government would cause the constitutionally elder parliament of Cornwall to have no other recourse than to exercise its extant power to veto any proclamations, statutes or acts of the Westminster Parliament that are considered to be detrimental to the Cornish nation according to the rights granted to the Cornish Stannary Community in the 1508 Charter of Pardon.
“Any violation of the territorial border would be seen to be detrimental to the Cornish nation.”
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by Doitdreckley
Monday, February 20 2012, 11:04AM
“Young Cornwall, there is much more opinion around than those found on sites like this. Cornwall and Devon have different needs and issues and an MP for the both of them weill not be able to do an effective job. This is being done to satisfy statistics and for no other reason. Scotland, Wales and even the Isle of Wight are not being picked on. Good luck to the Stannary.”
by youngcornwall
Sunday, February 19 2012, 3:30PM
“by Doitdreckley
"There is some hostility and bad feeling in the south west and Devon because of issues like funding and 'nationalism'. Things will get worse with a torn Devonwall MP."
I cannot recall reading any "hostility and bad feeling" about this on the, this is Devon site. I would be more inclined to think a Devonwall MP would bring people closer together, and would be a good thing.”
by Doitdreckley
Sunday, February 19 2012, 1:08PM
“Young Cornwall, I wouldn't say people are not interested. People are numb with everything that is going on as a consequence of the inter/national crisis that we are living through. They see most politicians (if not all) as corrupt and useless and do not realise that there is a link between who represents them and (for example) issues around European funding.
There is some hostility and bad feeling in the south west and Devon because of issues like funding and 'nationalism'. Things will get worse with a torn Devonwall MP.”
by Alistairtruro
Sunday, February 19 2012, 12:55PM
“Just found this article which is repeated elsewhere on this site in my quest to find out about the Cornish Stannary Parliament. Umm, Big Ger, I don't know how to put this but you seem to be getting a bit domineering and obsessive again. Surely one posting covering all your points would be adequeste on this issue?”
by Big_Ger
Sunday, February 19 2012, 10:42AM
“Let's see what comes of their "action" then! Anyone offering odds on them winning?”
by Slimslad
Saturday, February 18 2012, 12:44PM
“Stannery Parliament = 12 old blokes from Redruth, unelected, unwanted and an embarrassment.”
by HannahJones
Saturday, February 18 2012, 12:14PM
“What an enormous superiority complex they have.
Those days are over. Deal with it.”
by youngcornwall
Saturday, February 18 2012, 12:01PM
“by Doitdreckley
"Anything that tries to put a stop to Devonwall is welcome."
It must be said those against this Devonwall, do not seem to be getting very much support, the public do not care one way or the other so it seems, these anti Devonwallers are following the news instead of making news, that is a sure sign of lack of support.”
by Doitdreckley
Saturday, February 18 2012, 11:22AM
“Anything that tries to put a stop to Devonwall is welcome. The cross border MP will not be able to represent these very different interests effectively.
Big Ger once again talks rubbish. Cornwall has an excellent reputation.”
by Big_Ger
Saturday, February 18 2012, 10:25AM
“"The law is the law. If the Stannary still has a right to veto that can't be rescinded by Westminster then it should be followed." says "davetnt", and he is right.
So then once the actual parliament is convened by the Lord Warden of the Stannaries, following elections in the Stannary towns, then the actual parliament may decide to look into this, and into the ways that a change of constituency boundary for Westminster elections affects tin miners rights in Cornwall.
But until then, this bunch of unelected and representatives oafs, none of whom are tin miners, can take their abuse of Cornish history, and of Cornish democracy, and stick it where the sun don't shine.”