CORNWALL Council has again indicated that it strongly opposes proposals to create a Devonwall MP, writes Richard Whitehouse.

The council was debating the proposals to alter Parliamentary constituency boundaries which would see an MP having to represent people in North Cornwall and North Devon.

Proposals for a Devonwall MP have come forward as the Boundary Commission for England is redrawing the political map to cut the number of MPs from 650 to 600 and is also looking to make the number of people represented by MPs more equal.

Liberal Democrat councillor, Jesse Foot, proposed a motion which called on the council to ‘reaffirm its complete opposition’ to a Devonwall MP.

He called on the county’s MPs to stand up for the issue, saying: “They have been vocal supporters in the past and I hope they continue.”

Cllr Foot added: “Whether you are from the land of the Lizard to the mouth of the Tamar, stand up for the people of Cornwall and support this motion.”

Cllr David Parsons, who was recently elected to the council in a by-election to represent Bude, said: “Having been out on the doorstep in the last few weeks I was really surprised how many people brought up this and they were angry.

“We were having discussions about identity. Identity is really important to people, it is part of the local community but it is also part of being Cornish. We feel that we are under attack.”

A number of other councillors also spoke in support of the motion and said there were calls for the council to do more to make the Government aware of the strength of feeling about the matter.

However Conservative councillor John Fitter was not impressed and stated: “I have never heard so much rubbish in all my life.”

Cllr Fitter said people in Cornwall did not see Devonwall as an important issue, adding: “If you ask the vast majority of people in Cornwall what are the important issues that this council should be discussing, they will not talk about Devonwall, they will talk about the standard of living.

“Reducing the number of MPs, good job. 200 is too many and 600 is far too many.”

The council voted to support the motion by 86 votes in favour and 11 against. All those against were Conservative councillors.

In an open letter issued after the meeting Liberal Democrat group leader Malcolm Brown and council leader Adam Paynter said: “Cornwall Council Liberal Democrats are calling on all Cornish MPs for action on ‘Devonwall’.

“The Government’s suggested shared boundary in the Launceston, Bude and Bideford area is firmly rejected. This is not a party-political issue as residents across Cornwall, of all political colours, are saying the idea is detrimental.

“Cornwall has a strong, unique culture and identity as well as very different economic issues to its Devon neighbours. We need to maintain our Parliamentary boundary.

“We are writing this open letter to ask all Cornish MPs to respond and report on the action they are taking especially confirming their intention to vote against the merger. We hope that residents, across Cornwall, who want to retain our Parliamentary Boundary will also contact their local MP to ensure that view is heard.” — See letters, page four for more.

In response to the final recommendations from the commission, North Cornwall’s Conservative MP Scott Mann said: “I am disappointed to see once again that the boundary commission has proposed a cross-border seat between Devon and Cornwall. I think that the logistics of dealing with three local authorities, two health authorities, and the sheer size of the new constituency would be problematic for any MP.

“I am of the view that Cornwall should be considered a special case and remain whole, and that we shouldn’t be cutting the number of MPs at a time when we are getting more powers back from the European Union to Westminster. The Boundaries Commission should be asked to equalise the constituencies with 650 MPs.

“I won’t be supporting these proposals.”