An Omsav

Between Brexit and independence: the Home Countries and the UK election - Nationalia

2019-12-01T16:30:00.001+00:00

Between Brexit and independence: the Home Countries and the UK election - Nationalia: Cornwall’s battle for better funding

Without having a devolved Parliament, Cornwall —the smallest of the UK’s Celtic nations— has a more limited margin of autonomy. The Cornwall Council has executive, but not legislative, powers.

The Council’s cabinet, made up of members belonging to the Liberal Democrats and independents, is currently calling for “adequate funding” from the UK to be able to “protect local services” delivered to a 570,000-strong population.

The Liberal Democrat election manifesto includes their commitment to legislate to “establish devolved governance” towards new authorities, “for example to a Cornwall Assembly or a Yorkshire Parliament,” without clarifying whether such bodies will have law-making powers or not. Neither the Labour nor the Conservative manifesto envisage anything of the kind.

Dick Cole, a candidate for the pro-autonomy Mebyon Kernow (MK, centre-left), is running for election. MK calls for the establishment of a devolved National Assembly for Cornwall, with ample law-making powers.

Vote Dick Cole for Cornwall

2019-11-17T14:32:00.000+00:00

Why Cornish is good for Cornwall

2019-10-03T16:47:00.001+01:00

The Destruction of Cornwall - Documentary

2019-09-20T14:13:00.001+01:00

Ordinary people who care about Cornwall's future or 'the sinister underbelly of Cornish Nationalism' as described by Cllr Dulcie Tudor. You decide.

Kernow (Short documentary)

2019-03-07T13:37:00.004+00:00

Kernow (Short Documentary) from Liam Martin on Vimeo.

TOGETHER WE MUST REDOUBLE OUR EFFORTS TO WIN A CORNISH TICK-BOX ON 2021 CENSUS

In my annual St Piran’s Day message as the leader of Mebyon Kernow, I have called on “one and all” to make representations in support of a Cornish tick-box on the 2021 census.

My statement is as follows:

“It is my hope that everyone will be able to do something special around St Piran’s Day to observe what makes Cornwall so special. But the promotion of Cornish distinctiveness is not something that we should only be doing each year in early March. I sincerely believe that we should be doing all in our power, each and every day, to promote and enhance our identity and heritage.

“At this time, a key campaign for greater Cornish recognition is the push for a tick-box on the 2021 census. Sadly, a Government White Paper was recently published which ruled out the provision of a Cornish tick-box and we need to redouble our efforts and put significant pressure on the UK Government to reverse its present position.

“The Cornish were recognised as a national minority on 2014 and it is scandalous that the Government and the Office of National Statistics seem to consider it acceptable that we will be the only UK national minority to be denied a tick-box in the upcoming census.

“As I have said before, this is illogical, prejudicial, disrespectful and just plain wrong.

“It is also shameful that the UK Government and the Office of National Statistics have yet to act on the advice from an Advisory Committee of the Council of Europe which challenges “the authorities to take the necessary measures to include the possibility to self-identify as Cornish, through a ‘tick-box’ in the next census.

“So on this St Piran’s Day, please join me in writing to Chloe Smith, the Minister for Constitution, calling on the UK Government to meet its obligations through the Framework Convention for the Protection of National Minorities and to guarantee a Cornish tick-box in 2021.”

The address for Chloe Smith, Minister for the Constitution, is: Cabinet Office, 70 Whitehall, London SW1A 2AS.

Cornwall is dead

2019-02-09T10:47:00.000+00:00

If things aren't turned around our future will be nothing but the memory of a people that once existed, a memory of a society that, little by little, went to nothing amongst the great sameness. So it will happen to Brittany that which has happened to Cornwall, swallowed as it was by London, despite the fact that later the people voted the strongest for Brexit, why so?

Ma ne vo ket cheñchet penn d'ar vazh e vo hon dazont nemet memor ur bobl bet bev, memor ur gevredigezh aet tamm-ha-tamm da get e-touez an heñvelded meur. C'hoarvezout a rayo gant Breizh pezh a zo c'hoarvezet gant Kerne-Veur a zo be lonket gant Londrez en desped d'an dud o dues votet, war-lerc'h, ar muiañ evit ar Brexit, perak 'ta ?

The above is translated from the Breton original which can be found in the opinion piece written by GG Gwen in issue 713 of the Breton language newspaper Ya ! It is one example of what can be read about Cornwall in Breton media / social media at the current time. The thinking is along the lines of: Cornwall is dead - totally absorbed by greater London - nothing but a Celtic fossil - only of use and consideration as a warning for Brittany to change its ways. Some academics, in the very laudable effort to discuss the future of Brittany, have even gone so far as to coin the term Cornwallisation to describe the death of traditional Breton culture. Take the below as an example which can be found in Le Peuple Breton.

There verdict is severe: " a process of 'cornwallisation' is in operation, a neologism used to describe the change suffered by that British region henceforth integrated into the catchment area of greater London and which has lost its original identity. Without a rapid reaction regarding this change, Brittany, as a distinct entity, will also be dissolved.

Leur verdict est sévère : « Un processus de « cornouaillisation » est à l’œuvre , néologisme utilisé pour décrire l’évolution subie par cette région britannique désormais intégrée au bassin du grand Londres et qui a perdu son identité originale. Sans réaction rapide à cette évolution, la Bretagne se diluera aussi en tant qu’entité particulière ».

Have any of our Breton 'friends' seen fit to write anything anywhere criticising this insulting use of the name of our country? Some time ago, I posted about this situation on the Brenow Facebook page, a place dedicated to promoting links between Brittany and Cornwall. Have any of our Cornish academics or leading lights of the Cornish movement made the slightest effort to defend our honour?

It's not much but I'll be cancelling my subscription to Ya ! and the Peuple Breton won't be picking up the relay. I'd advise anybody who cares to do the same and explain why.

People’s Vote March for the Future

2018-10-06T17:59:00.000+01:00

Brexit will undermine the UK's joint endeavours with EU member states to tackle climate destruction, corporate greed and tax evasion. It will also exempt us from the EU's strong consumer protection and pollution controls; as well as harming British investment, trade, jobs and living standards. Brexit is bad for Britain! Join us on Saturday the 20th of October for the massive #PeoplesVoteMarch to urge a #PeoplesVote on the Brexit deal. Take back control. Let the people decide! Assemble Park Lane in London at 12 noon. INFO: https://www.peoples-vote.uk/march Via @PeoplesVoteUK

People’s Vote March for the Future: Join the People's Vote campaign

Towards a Euroregion Brittany and Wales. Room for Cornwall?

2018-08-20T14:40:00.000+01:00

Vers une Eurorégion Bretagne et Pays de Galles: Le Premier ministre gallois, Carwyn Jones, sera à Lorient le lundi 6 août, durant l’Interceltique. Il nous parle du Brexit et de la création d’une Eurorégion, espace commun de coopération.

The Breton language by Sorosoro

2018-02-26T14:08:00.000+00:00

For an excellent summary of the Breton languages past and present status visit the Sorosoro website by clicking here: Breton « Sorosoro

Sorosoro is a program that contributes to the safeguard of endangered languages across the globe. The website offers videos, maps and written information.

A Breton dies in Afrin

2018-02-26T13:44:00.000+00:00

Kendal Breizh - Breton independence campaigner and anarchist killed in Afrin fighting alongside the Kurds: Kendal Breizh est mort au Kurdistan aux côtés d’un autre camarade

His revolutionary and libertarian ideals led him to be interested in the political experiment in Rojava, and then to join the Kurdish forces and their allies (Arabs, Yezhidis etc). He shared with them their anti-imperialist, anti-fascist, anti-sexist, ecological stances and support for libertarian municipalism, respecting the right for all peoples to master their own destinies.

Ses idéaux libertaires et révolutionnaires l’avaient conduit à s’intéresser à l’expérience politique du Rojava, puis à s’engager aux côtés des forces kurdes et de leurs alliés (arabes, yézhidis…). Il partageait avec elles des idées anti-impérialistes, anti-fascistes, anti-sexistes, écologiques et pour un municipalisme libertaire, respectant le droit de tous les peuples à maitriser leur destin.

An article on the wider subject can be found here from the French national France 24 website: Far left on the front lines: The Westerners joining the Kurds' fight in Syria

Stourm ar Brezhoneg (English Subtitles)

2018-02-26T13:24:00.000+00:00

Stourm ar Brezhoneg (English version) from Hugo Massa on Vimeo. A documentary on some of the grassroots initiatives that keeps the Breton language and culture alive in Northern Finistere. Entirely directed and produced by Hugo Massa.

"Stourm ar Brezhoneg - The Struggle for The Breton Language" highlights the daily fight of independent citizens and community-based organizations for the saving of the linguistic heritage of Brittany.

The usage of Breton has declined for the past 200 years, as have the other minority languages in France. The total population of Breton speakers has been divided by ten since the last century. Its decline stands among the fastest in France. The common memory of the repression of the language, mainly led by the public schools of the French Republic, reminds us the relative recentness of the imposition of French as the sole and unique national language.

After having exposed some of the reasons that explain the decline of the language - including the acceptation by the Breton speakers of the "worthlessness" of their language under cultural an economic pressures - the film reviews some of the meaningful characters and community initiatives that have participated, since the 1970s, to the revival of the language. These characters from the Northern Breton region of Finister all share the pride of having contributed to the renewal of the family transmission of the language and to the reversal of the Breton "negative identity".

Through this case, the film aims to demonstrates the possibilities of creative community organization and mobilization around issues relating to the intangible heritage in jeopardy.

Backing Cornwall Council's fair funding campaign

2018-02-05T16:17:00.002+00:00

Cllr Dick Cole: Backing Cornwall Council's fair funding campaign

Cerys Matthews, With Gwenno

2018-02-05T15:57:00.001+00:00

BBC Radio 6 Music - Cerys Matthews, With Gwenno: Cerys is joined by Welsh singer songwriter and former Pipette Gwenno Saunders, who will be discussing her forthcoming Cornish language album Le Kov, which will be released in March on Heavenly records.

BBC Radio 4 - The Long View, Catalonia and Cornwall

2018-01-21T19:16:00.000+00:00

BBC Radio 4 - The Long View, Catalonia and Cornwall: Catalonia and Cornwall
The Long View

Jonathan Freedland compares the Catalan government's recent bid for independence with a moment during the English Civil War when the military commander, Sir Richard Grenville, devised a plan to gain more autonomy for Cornwall. Jonathan and his guests visit historic locations in Launceston, the ancient capital of Cornwall, where this story took place.

With historian Mark Stoyle, Professor of Early Modern History at Southampton University; Sebastian Balfour, Emeritus Professor of Contemporary Spanish Studies at the London School of Economics; Loveday Jenkin, councillor for Mebyon Kernow, the Party for Cornwall; and actor Beatie Edney who played Prudie in the Poldark.

The dirty duchies

2017-11-13T16:55:00.003+00:00

As revealed by the Paradise Papers both the duchies of Cornwall and Lancaster have used off-shore banking to avoid paying tax[1][2].

Not content with their already advantageous taxation and the millions of tax payers pounds spent on maintaining them in their opulent life styles, the two Duchies, and their respective Duke and Queen, evidently need more money.

What the Paradise Papers tell us about the Queen and Charles

These feudal relics have no place in a modern democracy. An Omsav calls once again for a public enquiry into the Duchy of Cornwall and its constitutional relation to the territory of Cornwall followed by a public debate on what to do with it. Hand the Duchy and all its rights, prerogatives and constitutional powers back to the people of Cornwall for them to decide its future.

While you might be disappointed by the almost total lack of comment from Cornish political circles on the double dealing Duke rest assured that others are trying to do the job: Paradise Papers: Write to your MP

Republic has written to MPs calling for them to investigate the finances of the Duchies of Lancaster and Cornwall.

Earlier this week, leaked documents in the Paradise Papers revealed that both Duchies have been investing in offshore tax-havens, which while not illegal is ethically questionable. The monarch and heir to the throne should be setting the very highest standards.

In the case of the Duchy of Cornwall, there is also an allegation of a conflict of interest, and claims that Prince Charles didn't know about an investment in his friend's company aren't credible. Whether these claims are to be believed or not, it is vital that an investigation now takes place.

The Duchies are not private estates in the normal sense. They are governed by statute and their financial management is overseen by the government. It is important to note that the Duchies are there to provide private incomes for the Queen and Prince Charles, two people with comprehensive and secretive access to government ministers, civil servants and other decision makers as well as all cabinet papers.

The opportunity for misuse of funds, inappropriate investments, exploitation of privileged access to ministers or confidential information or conflicts of interest are considerable.

Whether individual MPs support the monarchy or not, they must agree that the financial affairs of the Duchies of Lancaster and Cornwall should be of the highest standard of integrity and subject to proper scrutiny.

Write to your MP

Only MPs can introduce debates or ask difficult questions about royal funding and finances in parliament - so we need them to take action now.

Writing to your MP couldn't be simpler, and it's the best way to achieve the change we want to see. Visit writetothem.com to quickly email your MP about this issue - even if you think they'll disagree, they can only take action if they know how you feel about this issue. Ask your MP to write to the Treasury, calling on them to:

Investigate recent allegations and revelations concerning the finances of the Duchies of Lancaster and Cornwall
Publish clear guidelines on the standards royal finances should meet
Require the Royal Household to declare financial interests and meet the same standards on conflicts of interest as ministers and MPs

Whose Europe?

2017-11-05T15:52:00.000+00:00

Imagine if a large part of Texas wanted to breakaway from the Lone Star State to become a US state in its own right and the people voted by referendum accordingly. Would it be forced to immediately quit the US federal republic, abandon the dollar and see its inhabitants lose their US citizenship? Would the new state in waiting be forced to reapply for membership of the USA with the rest of Texas threatening a veto?

How about a French speaking part of the majority German speaking Swiss canton of Bern wanting to separate so as to join the French speaking Jura canton. Would the 'rebel' territory suffer immediately expulsion from the Swiss confederation and its inhabitants lose their Swiss nationality?

No, of course not! Such matters of territorial reorganisation would be handled internally and democratically with very little fuss. So why not then for a region of a member-state of the EU that wishes to do the same? Such questioning gives the lie to the idea that Europe is in anyway federal or that EU membership gives its citizens rights above and beyond those of the nation-states. Changing internal borders would have no effect upon the inalienable right to citizenship of all US nationals. For the Catalans and their EU citizenship it's not at all the same. For them leaving Spain equals leaving the EU, for if the Catalans have EU citizenship it is only thanks to their status as Spanish nationals. EU citizenship is simply a bonus attached to having French, Spanish, German or other member-state nationality.

Even when the legality of what the Spanish governments is doing is far from sure, the EU's institutions come out firmly in favour of Madrid. Perhaps the EU's mask has started to slip. What we see behind the mask is not a Europe of and for the people - EU citizens with inalienable rights and EU institutions with the highest democratic standards. No, what we see instead are the member nation-states huddled together for the purpose of self-preservation - even if the threat is an internal one from the democratic desires of the citizens themselves.

After following the events in Catalonia I'm left with the feeling that more than one member nation-state would rather sink the whole EU project and rob every European of its benefits than see part of their territory secede and become a new EU member. Is this the menace from Madrid that has kept the rest of the EU member states inline with Spanish wishes?

EU beware! Many regionalists, autonomists and democratic nationalists - until recently all convinced EU federalists dreaming of a Europe of a hundred flags - are becoming increasingly disenchanted at a time when the EU needs all the friends it can get. Let the peoples of Europe seize back control of the European project from the hands of our self-centred nation states and their self-serving bureaucracies.

Why do we want Cornish self-determination?

2017-10-29T09:36:00.001+00:00

Found this info-graphic on the blog: 50 shades of federalism. The rest of the article can be found here: Is Spain a federal country?

I suppose we could answer that by saying that in any case it's a little less federal today.

Interesting to note that - even after devolution to Scotland, Wales, London (WTF) and the 6 counties of Northern Ireland - the UK is far from the top of the class when it comes to granting its territories the freedom to be innovative and adaptable, and conferring on them the responsibility of self-reliance. France doesn't even make the list.

In the restricted circles of the Cornish scene debates on what degree of autonomy is required and how to obtain it are the norm. Why not pause for a moment and ask the oft neglected question: Why do we want greater self-determination for Cornwall? Many treat a devolved assembly, independence or some other form of autonomy as ends in themselves. We want greater self-determination, but to determine what and to what end? When all Cornish campaigners can answer that question calmly and with impeccable logic we'll be a little closer to obtaining it.

Given then that greater autonomy cannot be an end in itself - i.e. once obtained everything will be perfect - what do we want it for? If we cannot use greater home-rule to transform Cornwall and Cornish society why all the effort? Independence and autonomy are tools in the states-persons tool box, so which parts of the Cornish machine are we going to fix with them and how? I might add if all that is intended by obtaining 'Cornish independence' is to reproduce the same imperfect UK society but on a smaller Cornish scale then you can count me out.

A breton name ruled to be illegal in France - BREIZH AMERIKA

2017-10-23T18:03:00.000+01:00

A breton name ruled to be illegal in France - BREIZH AMERIKA

Kernev-Veur : Panelloù difesonet er c'hirri-boutin

2017-09-03T13:04:00.000+01:00

Kernev-Veur : Panelloù difesonet er c'hirri-boutin

An article here in the Breton language newspaper Ya! concerning the vandalism of Cornish language phrases on buses in Kernow.

Piran Statute will represent a bond between the Cornish and Breton nations

2017-08-10T11:14:00.000+01:00

Piran Statute will represent a bond between the Cornish and Breton nations

The legislative elections in Brittany

2017-06-05T11:49:00.000+01:00

The legislative elections in Brittany | Kernowpolitico: notes from the periphery

@MebyonKernow candidates for the 2017 local elections

2017-04-08T11:07:00.001+01:00

MK candidates for the 2017 local election

Five Hundred - A story of the Cornish language

2017-03-19T16:04:00.001+00:00

Five Hundred - A story of the Cornish language from Marc Farràs Piera on Vimeo.

No to a cross-Tamar “Devonwall” parliamentary constituency - Petitions

2017-03-11T19:51:00.001+00:00

No to a cross-Tamar “Devonwall” parliamentary constituency - Petitions

British government accused of neglecting Cornish culture

2017-03-11T09:06:00.001+00:00

British government accused of neglecting Cornish culture | UK news | The Guardian