ONE of Cornwall’s new Labour MPs has used his maiden speech in Parliament to call for a self-governing Cornish Assembly, similar to that of “our Celtic cousins in Wales”.

Camborne and Redruth MP Perran Moon’s comments support previous calls for autonomous rule by Cornwall’s two Liberal Democrat MPs.

Mr Moon’s speech was praised at a Cornwall Council meeting on Tuesday, September 10, when the local authority’s White Paper to secure more self-governing powers from the Labour government was scrutinised.

The White Paper sets out a new ‘whole place’ proposition to the new government that would see Cornwall, as a recognised and protected Celtic nation, having the means to shape its own destiny by securing greater autonomy.

On August 29, the council’s political group leaders reached a consensus on revised content of the White Paper. The following day a meeting was held between council leaders and Cornwall’s six Labour and Liberal Democrat MPs to discuss the proposals.

On the same day, Plymouth City Council submitted its ‘expression of interest’ in a devolution deal with a preference to see powers for a combined South West Peninsula, which would include Plymouth, Devon, Torbay, Exeter and Cornwall councils.

Cornwall’s MPs and the group leaders then agreed they should send a joint letter asking for a meeting with Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner, who is overseeing devolution deals throughout the country. They agreed that any devolution settlement has to be on a Cornwall-only basis and it cannot be conditional on moving to a mayoral model, which was previously thrown out by Cornwall Council following a negative reaction from the public. .

Their letter to Angela Rayner states: “Despite not being formally invited to submit an Expression of Interest in securing a devolution settlement, which was afforded to Plymouth as a ‘devo desert’, we want you to know that Cornwall is ready, willing and able to participate in the Government’s ‘new wave of devolution’ in its own right, as opposed to any suggestion of a combined authority that stretches across the Tamar.”

Cllr Dick Cole, leader of Cornish party Mebyon Kernow which has long called for complete devolution from Westminster, said at today’s meeting that he was still struggling with the “tone” of the White Paper. He added that the group leaders’ meeting with the MPs last week was only supposed to include the Conservative, Labour and Lib Dem group leaders but the Independents “accidentally got an invite”, but he didn’t. However, he did get an invite afterwards to co-sign the letter to Angela Rayner. He noted that the new Non-Aligned Group of Tory rebels wasn’t invited to sign it.

Cllr Cole said he was pleased with Camborne/Redruth MP Perran Moon’s maiden speech in the House of Commons last week in which he said he wanted to persuade the Government that Cornwall needs a devolved assembly like “our Celtic cousins in Wales”. “It was good to see an MP going further than the White Paper and I must acknowledge as well that the two Liberal Democrat MPs wrote to the Government months ago basically saying they wanted a Cornish Assembly as well, so they’re setting a good position.”

Mr Moon said in his speech: “It was clear on the doorstep over the last couple of years that there is a strong desire for a non-mayoral model of governance arrangement with Westminster. My hope and my focus in coming weeks and months will be on persuading Government that the most appropriate devolution arrangement for Cornwall is an assembly similar to that of our Celtic cousins in Wales.

“In terms of economic development, culture and governance, the time has come to throw open the cage door and unleash the Cornish Celtic Tiger.”

In many ways, Mr Moon’s comments go against his own party’s policy as Labour is looking more favourably at mayor-led combined authorities receiving devolution deals.

Cllr Cole didn’t think the White Paper goes far enough. He told the finance scrutiny committee: “Surely we should be saying we want maximum control over the Cornish economy and maximum control over the social aspects of Cornwall, etc, etc? We should be bigger and broader in what she would be asking for.”

He called for a full cross-party meeting with Angela Rayner to show her a “really joined-up Cornwall”. Cllr John Conway argued that Cornwall is a nation but it doesn’t mean to say that Cornwall as a nation cannot be in a joint approach with other areas.

Independent councillor Julian German asked whether Plymouth’s submission had the political agreement of Cornwall Council for Cornwall to be named in it. Council leader Linda Taylor responded: “The expression of interest has come from the leader of Plymouth City Council. He did have a conversation with me, but I made it very clear that Cornwall’s position is that we have two red lines – that we have a Cornwall-only footprint and we could not be engaged with any discussion about a mayoral model.”

“I’ll take it that it did have political agreement from Cornwall,” replied Cllr German. A tetchy Cllr Taylor said that at no time did she give any support to a combined authority.

Cllr Louis Gardner said Cornwall lost £360-million of funding because councillors couldn’t compromise on last year’s mayoral devolution deal. “If we want a deal and don’t want to be left behind every big authority in the country, are we willing to compromise because compromise is what this is going to need? I feel we’re delving too far into the nitty gritty and forgetting the principle, which is more powers, more control and more funding for Cornwall – we can all agree on that one.”

Cornwall Council’s chief executive Kate Kennally said: “The reality of getting a devolution deal signed and implemented this side of Christmas is going to be exceedingly challenging. We should be pushing for meetings with the Deputy Prime Minister this calendar year.”

The scrutiny committee endorsed the content of the letter sent to Angela Rayner by MPs and the council.