Andrew George
Promoting the
Politics of Courage
I’m running a positive campaign to restore decency and honesty to our politics. To build a brighter future. To combat those who want us to become more inward-looking, backward-looking, more self-absorbed. I’ll build a campaign for an outward-looking, forward-looking and compassionate country.
We’ve been misled by a privileged clique who’ve irresponsibly played on fears to stoke prejudice. We must get beyond the Brexit chaos they’ve dragged our country into. We must restore the things that matter for the sake of our children’s future – our NHS, our schools and the very sustainability of our planet.
Come and join a growing campaign team. We’re determined to win this seat back this time, to make the difference, to build a brighter future.
Many people say “you politicians are all the same”. That statement has never been more untrue. The choice here is stark:
Andrew George - Standing up for Cornwall
National campaigner, local campaigner, former MP.
Andrew describes his role - "Seeking out the silent voices. Standing up to bullies. Fighting for justice”
Liberal Democrats - Building a brighter future
Our protest against Lloyds' decision to shut its Penzance branch next month is gathering pace. Another good session in town at the weekend.
Though we of course acknowledge the chance of halting the closure is small - after all, this is a purely commercial rather than political decision made remotely in Lloyds head office, and they've gone ahead with every other closure - in character with the spirit of our feisty Penzance community, we're not going to just roll over and let this happen. We are determined not to let this pass without a fight.
After all, their proposed replacement - a single "community banker" visiting once every fortnight to sit at a desk in the back of a library - just isn't good enough. They've made this decision without any local consultation, nor sufficient equality or other impact assessment. They say we can use the Post Office, but they've just cut the already limited range of Lloyds services available over post office counters, and will no doubt quietly reduce them still further after they've got away with it.
If they go ahead with the Penzance branch closure, Lloyds will have closed 38 of it's 39 branches in Cornwall in recent years, and since they happily took £37 billion of taxpayers' money to bail them out during the financial crisis; and will leave just the sole Truro branch across the whole 110 miles from the Isles of Scilly to the Tamar border.
I've written to Lloyds CEO, Charlie Nunn, calling on him to 'pause' the closure, and to negotiate with us a more acceptable settlement. Our town's vitality depends on a functioning Bank presence. Post offices and banking hubs do a good job, but they do not provide the full range of services needed when the online system fails (as it often does), when we have complicated transactions on which face-to-face support is needed, and to ensure the vulnerable and digitally excluded get the help they need.
You can sign the petition on line (here: digitallibdems.typeform.com/to/ZuzfCUxe) and in many shops around town. And if you're a customer and want to add your letter to the many others we've collected, you can get a copy from my office. Contact me at andrew.george.mp@parliament.uk or call 01736 339526
The Cornish motto, "One & All"/"One hag All" underpinned how we secured this important step on the road towards regional governance; Cornwall having greater ability to shape its future, without having to first ask permission from Bristol. Exeter or London.
Here's the front page headline from the Western Morning News at the weekend, alongside an example of the articles I wrote for the same newspaper over 25 years ago, when there was a risk, under the then Labour government of Cornwall being swept into a Bristol-based "region" based on a government zone for the South-West created in Whitehall.
Since last year's general election, Cornwall's 6 MPs stood together, and worked as a team, with Cornwall Council. We've made clear we wouldn't flinch from the pressure to cave in. And now we have the building blocks to construct a better way forward, to assemble the component parts, of Cornwall's strengths (in marine innovation, critical minerals and mining, green technologies, renewables and geothermal, space science etc) and to create a better future.
Thank you to all involved. Though it's an important stage in mapping a better way forward, it's only a staging post. There's more work to do. Now we have to prove to others why this was important and the correct way forward, and how we will capitalise.
A good week for Cornwall.
I congratulate ALL of my Cornish MP colleagues. Teamwork. Standing shoulder-to-shoulder. Speaking with one voice. Showing determination and resolve. Our efforts proved effective.
1. Cornwall has the important beginnings of "an exceptional" devolution deal with the government; "recognising Cornwall's unique status" and identity and "history of programme delivery". The risk of becoming drawn into a combined authority with other places is largely removed and with it goes the nonsensical requirement of a directly elected Mayor. However, having achieved the correct architecture, we must now make the case for the freedoms and powers to match our ambitions.
2. A new 'Kernow Industrial Growth Fund' to drive Cornwall's Industrial Strategy. The £30 million flexible capital fund (2026-28) will help drive investment in our growth sectors - critical minerals, renewable energy, space sector, marine innovation etc.
3. I remember well the successes of past campaigns (which - apologies for the immodesty - I led in parliament) to officially recognise the Cornish Language in 2002 and (also thanks to Dan Rogerson's magnificent efforts) Cornish as a national minority in 2014. So, I'm pleased the government has this week confirmed it will make the case to the Council of Europe to enhance the formal recognition of our language.
Of course I appreciate why, and fully support my 4 Labour MP colleagues as they seek to celebrate these successes and to draw deserved attention to themselves; though of course disappointed they seek to airbrush Ben Maguire MP and me from the record. I acknowledge the pressure on those representing the Party of government can be very intense and challenging. More so than on those who are not. In reality we've all played our part. This was a team effort, the product of working together across the party divide, and putting the best interests of Cornwall before the nil-sum-game of political tribalism.
Let's bag these success, look forward to build on them and to continue to work for the best.
Kernow bys vyken! 😊
Look forward to seeing you on Saturday 29th November 10.30 - 12.30
This is about making sure our voice is heard. We mustn’t roll over, just because Lloyds holds all the cards and takes us all for granted.
They were happy enough to take £37 billion of taxpayers’ money in 2008 when they needed our support to bail them out. But they feel they can just walk away when it suits them.
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If we don’t effectively combat the climate and nature crisis we’ll wreck the future prospects for our children and grandchildren.
I attended the National Emergency Briefing in Westminster this morning. An amazing panel of expert speakers.
None of the Flat Earth Society, nor keyboard warriors (who “would of” put us right😉) were present of course. Should have been.
Conference speakers were obviously lecturing the already converted. Much, much more to do.
Common Platform for Cornwall
