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, MP.
Andrew describes his role - "Seeking out the silent voices. Standing up to bullies. Fighting for justice”
Liberal Democrats - Building a brighter future
Cornwall has the best opportunity in a generation to determine how it is governed.
Beyond the usual media circus behind Andy Burnham’s brief visit to Cornwall at the weekend, a door has been opened which we must now walk through with determination to succeed. He’s invited Cornwall’s six MPs and Council Leader to meet him at his Downing Street North (Manchester) soon.
He wants to talk to the seven of us about the Government’s plans to devolve power to Combined Mayoral Authorities, which the government believes should be significantly larger than Cornwall.
We’ve so far successfully seen off ridiculous predatory attempts by Councils east of the Tamar to subsume us into a bland, placeless “Southwest” thingy. Our ambitions are for greater devolved status - a necessarily bespoke settlement specifically for Cornwall - to meet the government's objective and to "play a full and active part in this generational project to shape how our country, economy and democracy work”.
Agreeing Cornwall’s bespoke case would not set a precedent for other places with population levels, like Cornwall's, lower than the government’s notional norm, because Cornwall is unique; with unique non-English history and culture which has contributed to the formal recognition of the Cornish Language and of the Cornish as a National Minority. No English County has any such or similar recognition. Equally, the Government should take care not to be perceived to penalise Cornwall because it has such Government recognised status.
Cornwall’s many strengths would be considerably suppressed if it were forced into a larger strategic body simply to satisfy a simplistic belief that economies of scale and administrative convenience are of greater significance than Cornwall’s many strengths as a self-standing, strategic devolved region in its own right.
The government still wants to promote directly elected Mayors. They should understand that Cornwall is very different to Manchester, where we appreciate a directly elected Mayor may be popular, and appropriate.
The Cornish motto is not “Onen hag Oll/One and All” for nothing. It represents an essential cultural perspective - the importance of collective engagement. The “One” (Leader) accountable to and engaged with “All” those with whom essential shared decision-making is made. It reflects the reality of Cornwall‘s geography; distinct, and diverse communities, without a dominant “centre” as such. Strong, effective and successful Leaders in Cornwall are stronger, more effective and successful when they cooperate and work collectively, recognising these important factors.
He had kindly notified me in advance of his visit to let me know he was coming, explaining he wouldn’t make it so far west as my constituency, but promised we could have a catch-up meeting when I'm back in Westminster at the end of next week. I know Andy from past sporting team associations as well as joint campaigns (on NHS, Culture etc). So, I know something of how he approaches matters, and hope that’ll count for something.
Though I also want to get his support for my Private Members’ Bill, to help those in the most pressing housing need, I'm determined we should grab this chance with both hands.
LIGHTHEARTED POSTNOTE: Tis a pity he wasn't given "proper" Pasties from west Cornwall 😉 Leigh Frost Cornwall Councillor for Bodmin St Petroc
@followers
Cornwall Live
BBC Cornwall
ITV News West Country
Great that Andy's in Cornwall today.
There's so much to show and explain. He contacted me earlier and promised we can have a catch-up meeting when I'm back in Westminster in September.
As well as the many challenges from Bluetongue outbreak, consequences of the Climate emergency, the drought, wildfires and the cost-of-living crisis, I need to talk to him about making the most of my Bill to improve the housing chances of those in greatest need, as well as his plans for devolution of power.
We welcome and support the Prime Minister‘s “increased ambition, pace and scale to rewire the way our country works to deliver good growth”, and “by moving power out of Westminster”.
The government declared Cornwall will have Foundation Strategic Authority status. But our ambitions are for significantly greater devolved status and - based on what would need to be for Cornwall a necessarily bespoke settlement. This would chime with the government's request that Cornwall "plays a full and active part in this generational project to shape how our country, economy and democracy work”.
Local MPs and the Council have firmly restated that Cornwall strongly endorses the principles of the Government’s devolution intentions and offers a further opportunity to work in partnership with Government departments for the fullest possible devolution (beyond Foundation level).
Agreeing the terms of a bespoke settlement with Cornwall, would not set a precedent for other places with similarly lower population levels than the government would ordinarily accept, because of Cornwall’s unique status, and in view of Cornwall‘s numerous exceptional circumstances; which includes Cornwall‘s unique history and culture which have contributed to the Cornish being formally recognised by Government as a National Minority and our Cornish language being recognised not just within the European Charter a quarter of a century ago, but was recently granted enhanced Level 3 status within that Charter by this Government. No English county has any such or similar recognition. It is obvious these are factors which should be respected in any devolution process.
But equally, the Government should not be perceived to penalise Cornwall because it has such Government recognised status, and which could mean it may therefore not be permitted to fully benefit from Government policy, such as this policy to “move power out of Westminster”, as Cornwall doesn’t fit the centrally-created rules for devolution.
Cornwall’s unique geography and its “brand” recognition (because of all of the above factors) places it in a very strong position to enhance the government's welcome emphasis on economic growth. Cornwall’s strengths would be considerably suppressed if it were enforced into a larger strategic body simply to satisfy a simplistic belief that economies of scale and administrative convenience are of greater significance than Cornwall’s many strengths as a self-standing, strategic devolved region in its own right.
The government still requests a response to the question about “preference on mayoral or non-mayoral devolution". However, government should understand that Cornwall is very different to Manchester, where we appreciate a directly elected Mayor appears popular, successful and appropriate to the locality.
Cornwall‘s motto is not “Onen hag Oll/One and All” for nothing. It represents the essential cultural perspective and importance of collective engagement and cooperation in Cornwall. The “One” (Leader) being accountable to and engaged with “All” those with whom essential shared decision-making should be made. This in fact reflects the reality of Cornwall‘s geography, where communities are distinct, dispersed and diverse, but it also recognises that Cornwall is unusually without any clear “centre” as such. Strong, effective and successful Leaders in Cornwall are stronger, more effective and successful when they cooperate and work collectively, recognising these important factors. Something we hope our Prime Minister as a member of the Labour and Cooperative Party will appreciate.
We appreciate his visit and look forward to further engaging with him on all of these matters.
@followers @top fans
Cornwall Live
BBC Cornwall
ITV News West Country
⚠️ Did you get this alert?
No?
Well, perhaps it's time the Government also sent out one like this.
It might reduce the need to send out alerts about the consequences of not doing enough to combat the climate and nature emergency...
Link to the petition: petition.parliament.uk/petitions/767687
Grab every chance to immerse yourself in nature. It anchors us to the realities of life, outside the frantic and gizmo-dominated world we inhabit, and the pressures and stresses of daily living.
Many of us enjoyed the spectacles of the cosmos over the last 48 hours. Though more distant than the nature around us, it confounds and amazes just the same. Here are two examples of some of the things we do - and I've done in recent days - encountering the natural world:
1. I've continued reviewing the resilience of the local glow worm population. I've surveyed them on the same transect over the last 7 years. The results are mixed, but, worryingly they are generally in decline. These incredible creatures exist as larvae for around 3 years, before pupating for between 10-15 days to then emerge as adults. Adult glow worms CANNOT FEED - is it an astonishing example of selflessness in nature? - and as a result only live for between 14-21 days! Females (who do most of the glowing!) have this time to mate and lay 50-200 eggs before they die.
2. I also spent a couple of hours checking out a butterfly transect which has been surveyed for nearly a couple of decades. It happens to be the location where the internationally rare Silver-studded Blue (SSB) has a local stronghold. Like so many butterflies they have remarkable relationships with other creatures. Their caterpillars have a SPECIAL BOND with black ants, which protect them in their nests in exchange for a sweet fluid.
It's estimated (from these surveys) SSBs have experienced a 75% decline since last year. We didn't see any on this survey this time, but then they complete being "on the wing" by about now. But we did see and recorded many Gatekeepers, Meadow Browns, Small Whites and a few Painted Ladies, Red Admiral, Common Blue, Clouded Yellow and more. Many species have struggled this summer with limited nectar sources.
We've been fortunate this summer to have had unusually large swarms of African/ Mediterranean visitors - Painted Ladies, followed by Clouded Yellows. I'm always fascinated how the "offspring" of these visitors have IN THEIR NATURE THE KNOWLEDGE how to MIGRATE BACK to their winter grounds thousands of miles to the south! They are guided by genetically hard-wired behavioural responses to falling temperatures, shorter daylight hours, and the declining quality of their preferred host plants, to "pack their bags" and go!
Much like their avian compatriots - cuckoos (how on earth do they know how to get back home?), swifts, sand martins, swallows, house martins etc.
The UK may be one of the most nature-depleted nations on earth, but there are many who are fighting to restore our natural world.
Spending time in the presence of nature helps us reach back to the foundational web of our own existence and perhaps to our biological origins. Many view these encounters as an essential source to reinvigorate their inner strength. At least they don't cause detriment! 😊