By the time that many of you are reading this article,
Parliament will have made a decision on the Prime Minister’s Brexit deal.
Regardless of the outcome, it is important that the country and MPs come
together and unite behind Parliament and the Prime Minister. There may be some
tough decisions and times ahead, but history has shown us time and again that
if we unite together, then we can get through the challenges that lie ahead of
us.
Recently the Office for National Statistics ruled that they would not be permitting the option of a Cornish tick box on the 2021 census. This is despite a long campaign led by local residents, campaign groups and MPs to recognise Cornwall’s heritage.
Cornwall has always been unique. We have a strong identity and our own language and culture. Many of us consider ourselves Cornish before English and in recent years we have seen a renewed interest in learning the Cornish language. That is why it is surprising that the ONS has not yet realised the merits of including the option of a Cornish tick box on the next Census.
In the aftermath of the decision, my fellow Cornish MPs met with Chloe Smith MP, Minister of State for the Constitution at the Cabinet Office. At the meeting it was highlighted that the ONS’s current position does not reflect the statement the Government made on the Cornish ethnic minority status in 2014 – something we are determined to see realised. It’s also clear that the ONS sees this issue as something that is a geographical one. This is incorrect. Cornish people are not confined to just Cornwall. There is a diaspora of Cornish people who live all across the UK who should be allowed to identify as just that, and that is what we should give people the opportunity to recognise.
Following this meeting, it was agreed that there should be further discussions regarding this matter. Over the past few years, we have seen a growing interest in Cornwall’s history and culture. Camborne, Redruth and Hayle are at the very heart of this revival. The new Cornish archive, Kresen Kernow, is really taking shape on the site of the old brewery. I lobbied hard to ensure that Redruth, home to most of the worldwide Cornish diaspora, was chosen as the location for this project, which will create new jobs, housing and continue the wider regeneration of the area.
Before 1996, students taking their GCSEs used to have the option of studying Cornish, but it was discontinued due to a lack of participation. I now think the time is right to reintroduce the Cornish language as a course. The evidence shows that there are benefits to learning a second language that goes beyond the learning of the language itself, and while some students may feel uninspired by French or Spanish, they may feel more enthusiastic about studying their native language. It is only right that as people’s enthusiasm for embracing its Cornish heritage continues to rise we support people’s decision to identify as Cornish.
