Letter from Cornwall - My Reply

Kenny Sheerin

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Republic of Scotland

Philip a charaid,

Firstly, thanks for getting in touch.

1) I would like to know your position on national and linguistic minorities and in particular the Cornish question in the United Kingdom.

I give unqualified support to Celtic Nations, peoples and linguistic minorities who seek any level of self-determination and advance of their cause. I do this as I recognise the position that Scotland is in, and the situation that minorities have throughout the Islands on which we live have inherited from history. I personally, recognise Kernow as a distinct and frankly beautiful culture in the Celtic pantheon. I can’t ask for Scotland something I would deny for Kernow. That would be hypocritical.

To me, the reason for Westminster’s intransigence on Kernow is simple. To Westminster, everything is an asset and not a living breathing human being with beliefs and culture. The treasury assigns our area a value and they’ll use any power in the playbook to make sure it doesn’t delete itself from their records.

For a people who once had such a vast empire it must be gloriously ironic that it splintered on them so quickly. The Brits will cling onto the UK that is left as long as it can in terms of money, power and the vain conceit of empire that still lingers. Maybe they get money out of it, maybe they’re just scared of change, maybe they are interested in the power that the name “UK” allegedly has. Either way it’s time for a new set of rules both for Kernow and for Scotland.

2) I would also like to know your thoughts on a devolved Cornish assembly.

If you asked me this question prior to the referendums on Scottish and Welsh Devolution I would have been sceptical about it. I have believed in Scottish Independence since I was a child in the 70s and saw little reason to change my mind. I saw the assembly option as being a bribe from Westminster to stop Independence happening. With the situation now in both Scotland and Wales, I am glad I was wrong – at least to an extent.

Decent steps forward have taken place both legally and culturally in terms of Scotland. The Gaelic Language (Scotland) Act 2005 was a step forward I do not believe would have happened without devolution, and despite the shortcomings of the Act I would say a small step is better than no step at all. Therefore, I can’t see an Assembly for Kernow as being anything other than a benefit.

I do not believe, in the long term, that an assembly is any replacement for full independence. Recent wars in Iraq and Afghanistan are proof of this for both our peoples. The replacement for Trident to be based in Scotland will be Britain’s nicest and shiniest new nuclear deterrent is another reason to sever ties completely – because if you cannot control what does and doesn’t poison your country then your situation merits change. Only with full Independence do we get to say NO to the worst excesses of British Imperialism and only with full Independence do we get full responsibility in the eyes of the people be that responsibility cultural, fiscal or political. Only with full responsibility can any people rebuild self-respect lost while being occupied by another people. Naturally my beliefs here are tainted by Scotland’s own struggles in our own three hundred years (this year being the anniversary of our own entry).

I believe that an Assembly for Kernow would be a good initial solution to your own position within the UK; I am however sceptical about remaining within the UK as being a viable position. Unless an assembly is a staging post to full independence, I am sceptical in that I believe that it merely involves switching occupations from being Poacher to being Gamekeeper. Despite my cynicism on the role of an assembly, let me again give unqualified support to those who see it as the best solution to the issues you have raised. Only the Cornish can know best what is the best solution for them, and as I have previously stated my own beliefs will be tainted by the Independence Struggle here in Scotland.

You have also outlined to me, issues relating the UK Freedom of Information Act. It doesn’t surprise me in the least that Westminster would use the most banal weapon in it’s arsenal to insult the people of Kernow with: petty bureaucracy. It beggars belief how deep an insult it must be. It suggests that they can’t even be bothered to think up a decent response or excuse to the issues raised.

This lack of respect is common here as well. While the SNP and other Pro-Independence parties have been making inroads into the upcoming Holyrood Elections on May 3, the response from the Unionist Parties has been predictably disrespectful: for every positive policy by a pro-independence party there is remote control drone from London (or who at least wants to work there at some point) wheeled in front of some hack to be ever more hysterical and scaremongering about Independence. I’m sure comrades in Wales could give similar stories. I suspect that at some point after the election, if we don’t get independence, anyone who doesn’t wear an “I heart UK” badge will have to collect a bell and a little sign which says “unclean” on it.

Le Meas agus Slainte Mhath,

Kenny Sheerin