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
I viewed the Brexit referendum as a test of UK self-confidence. In the event that our choice demonstrated a lack of confidence in ourselves. That we weren’t leaders in Europe, but rule-takers and a nation that felt we were being taken advantage of.
That’s not to say that I believed there could be NO benefits for the UK from leaving the EU. For example, I acknowledged there was “potential” the UK could indeed “take back control” of the management of its fish stock and better protect our marine environment. However, even that hasn’t really materialised. Indeed, it’s worse. Now we’re outside the rooms where decisions are made and have less influence.
However, I’ve looked hard for benefits. Clearly, all authoritative sources agree that the UK economy has suffered; it is 6-8% smaller than it would have been. Brexit has been a drag on UK trade and growth. It’s pushed up food prices, cut investment and therefore reduced job opportunities, especially for younger people, slowed wage growth, and made key markets, including for our fish exporters, harder to reach with significantly more red tape and regulation to traverse. All of this was spelled out at the time of the referendum, but it was spelled out by authoritative figures, and Brexit campaigners derided “experts” at the time.
In looking for positives, I acknowledge we have got rid of the EU passport and can proudly use our new blue passports. There’s also more jingoism, many more Union Jacks adorning all manner of government press conferences and ministerial photo opportunities. It’s also stimulated “small boats” migration. Which ironically is something those who campaigned for Brexit now complain most bitterly about!
Along with others, I successfully campaigned in the 1990s for Cornwall and Scilly to receive the highest level of EU aid, as we were amongst the poorest regions in the EU, and consistently ignored by Westminster. By 2000, we succeeded and were eligible for what was then known as Objective 1 funding and which resulted in key investments, including the Cornwall University and at Falmouth harbour. Brexit brought decades of support for Cornwall to a close. Promises by both the Conservatives and Labour that we’d receive the equivalent have proven to be hollow. We’re left cut adrift from those crucial investment funds, even though our relative poverty remains.
Though I respect that Brexit was a decision taken with the heart rather than the head, I still cannot see how any of the promised benefits have materialised. It’s left us poorer and looking much weaker and less influential in the world.
I don’t blame those who voted to leave. I respect their choice, their hopes and their desires. But I do blame those who led the Brexit campaign. Their lies, dog-whistling and divisive campaign techniques and their exploitation of a fear narrative have damaged the UK, from which it will take decades to recover, if indeed we ever do.
If the Burnham coronation goes to plan, he’ll have to use his brief honeymoon well. Because he won’t get long…
I’ve previously warned about the consequences of the feverish, rolling-news environment in which the upper tier of politics is managed. Prime Ministerial shelf-life is speculated about like premiership football managers, and seems to begin as soon as they take office. Though I don’t share his politics, and have strongly disagreed with many of his and his Chancellor’s policy choices, I respect Keir Starmer’s integrity when compared with his predecessors over the past decade.
He has generally called the international challenges right and handled his international duties with skill, including his careful child-minding of the UK’s relationship with the US President.
I know it can be a brutal business, but he deserved better treatment from his fellow Labour parliamentarians. I suspect history will be kinder to him than they have been.
We cannot bank on the Banks to stay. So, make sure you use yours.
Every town in this constituency has lost all their Banks, except for Penzance. So I’ve challenged them all to tell me their plans.
Bank branches are vital to our commerce and community life. After Penzance Lloyds closed earlier this year, I've written to the 5 remaining high street Banks, asking if they will commit to staying until at least 2030.
This isn't simply a question of 'use it or lose it', because many banks are deliberately introducing systems to divert and discourage face to face banking and to push customers into using faceless, centralised, electronic systems, even where customers would prefer to continue speaking to customer staff.
While these can be convenient for some of the more straightforward transactions, life is more complicated than banks are prepared to recognise. Businesses need to deposit cash, community groups and charities need authorisations to be checked and changed, probate requires specialised services and many customers are not digitally enabled.
Lloyds closed despite around a third of their customers being regular (at least once a month) users of the branch. After half a century as a loyal customer of Lloyds myself, I closed my account with them, in protest at the way they have treated our communities. I urge others to do the same. It's more straightforward to switch banks than I had expected.
I particularly applaud Nationwide for committing to stay until at least 2030. The others have used the 'no current plans to close' formulation to avoid making any commitment, therefore we must ‘encourage’ them. So I strongly advise you to use your bank branch whenever you can, and not to accept pressure from them to always use online or telephone services, especially where these operate in a climate of unavoidable ambiguity or just offer a less good service.
Cornwall Live
BBC Cornwall
ITV News West Country
“Settler terrorism” was a term coined by the Foreign Secretary this week, in questions about the appalling ongoing violence in the Occupied Palestinian Territories. The illegal settlements are encouraged by the far-right Netanyahu Israeli regime, and the violence meted out by the “settler terrorists” is enabled and supported by Israeli police and Israeli defence forces (IDF).
The UK government talks tough but with little effect. Last weekend, property in the illegal settlements was openly marketed at an Israeli real estate fair in central London (more of this in the comments below).
I questioned the Foreign Secretary again to get tough and to do it now.
MPs from both Labour and even Conservative benches challenged the Foreign Secretary to do more. The clamour for action still grows. Hundreds of Palestinians are still being slaughtered, despite the so-called ceasefire and peace plan. We can’t just walk by on the other side.
I’ve received a lot of support since announcing I will do all I can to promote genuinely affordable homes for the thousands of people in need. The housing crisis is impoverishing families, limiting life chances and a source of extreme stress in the lives of thousands of local people.
If I can get the government to support, my Bill will make a real difference both to availability and affordability. It's about putting first homes before second homes, and need before greed in the planning and development systems.
This isn't driven by the politics of envy, but the politics of social justice. Phyllis Rashleigh articulates it brilliantly. I've been campaigning for this change for nearly 40 years. If a government had brought it in years ago the options for locals would be much brighter.