SCOTLANDS REFERENDUM 18TH SEPTEMBER, 2014 AND THE LESSONS KERNOW CAN LEARN On 18 September, 2014, the electorate of Scotland have the opportunity to vote for independence from the United Kingdom. Our comrades in the Scottish Branch of the Celtic League have been campaigning hard for the YES vote and as part of the greater YES Campaign. The Cornwall Branch as well as our other Branches support the YES Campaign particularly in view of the overall aims and objectives of the Celtic League as outlined on our main website: celticleague.net/ Whatever the result, Kernow can learn many lessons from this referendum campaign. Kernow has never done well as a result of direct rule from Westminster. Our little land which is larger than more than 20 UN sovereign nations and even more autonomous and self governing regions and states (eg. the Isle of Man, Jersey, Gibralter and so on) has been treated as a theme park, a housing estate and a second home capital whilst far less money is spent here on public services such as education, health and so on than in many other places. Out of an estimated gross domestic product of 3.6billion pounds in 2002, the Government took over 1.95 billion in taxes from Cornwall and returned less than 1.62 billion, a gap of over 300 million pounds. (Business Age: Oct. 02: Kevin Cahill, The Killing of Cornwall). This situation is now worse. The appalling way we have been treated has been recognised by Europe and Kernow has been in receipt of much European funding, until recently administered by quangos and bodies situated far away from us here. Westminster didnt even consider us able to handle our own funding. We have become second class citizens and the views of our people are barely registered in a Westminster Parliament where we have only six MPs out of a total of 650. Cornwall’s rights have been ignored for 450 years, and there is an ongoing stream of official untruths - many organisations operate in Cornwall in direct breach of the Duchy Charters - HM Inspector of Taxes, the Crown Prosecution Service, Crown Courts, English Heritage, English Nature, English Estates etc. We in Kernow are mature enough to run our own internal affairs. Even if the people of Scotland reject independence, the three main political parties have already offered Scotland an enormous increase in power. This is typical of Westminster who in truth only understand one thing - direct and stubborn defiance. Westminster will continue to walk over Kernow for as long as we fail to question their every decision and decisions being made by unelected and unaccountable quangos such as Natural England, English Heritage and many others. In 2002, our Cornish language, nearly destroyed by Englands cultural aggression and ignorance was officially recognised by Europe and Westminster following many years of hard campaigning in the face of denial. Earlier this year, the Cornish people themselves were recognised officially again following many years of campaigning, lobbying and stubborn haranguing of arrogant Westminster politicians. The next step is self rule. We can do this and we can bring democracy home to Kernow. Look at the example of Scotland. Are we any less a people? Are we any less deserving that the people of Wales, of the North of Ireland, of London, of the Isle of Man,or Jersey, or Guernsey? No, of course not. The Celtic League in Cornwall, a members organisation and a campaigning NGO will continue to campaign for our lawful rights. Wherever possible, we will join with all and any other organisations or individuals to this end. Kernows time is yet to come. We will remain firm and consistent in our demands. We know that Kernow can do better than a widely discredited and uncaring parliament hundreds of miles away. This is bigger than any political party, bigger than politics. Join us and make a difference. We need to start shouting more loudly and to refuse to accept the autocratic top down Westminster governance. Kernow bys vyken. (Our main website is below)
Posted on: Tue, 12 Aug 2014 20:39:12 +0000
Trending Topics
Recently Viewed Topics
© 2015