Promoting the Politics of Courage
It’s 20 years since we secured the official recognition of the Cornish Language. Remember it well. I was surprised when I discovered I was the first to speak Cornish in Parliament in May 1997. And I considered it an honour to lead the campaign for the official recognition of our language in Parliament at that […]
Water companies are still “taking the mick” while Conservative Ministers shrug shoulders. Comment on the latest of this sewerage discharges – this time on Long Rock Beach in west Cornwall today. This announcement comes at a time when Water Companies are getting away with outrageous contempt towards our environment and public health. Water Companies were […]
People whose lives could be saved are still dying. Many more suffer life-limiting disability. Frontline NHS staff are still losing the battle to maintain clinical standards; leading to increased stress, falling morale and poor staff retention; and at a time we most need to keep and recruit experienced doctors and nurses etc. The 20-30 […]
• The dominant issue this week has been the vote of confidence. I refer of course to the resounding vote of confidence in Cornish Rugby. What a fantastic display by all of our Cornish teams. Our women’s team comfortably winning their Championship (tier 3) final in Richmond, the men’s team defeating Cheshire at Twickenham, […]
The Conservatives claim they’ll “crack-down” on second homers and “punish” them with double council tax. However, I regret that all they will do is the opposite. As more second homers will be encouraged to ‘flip’ their property investment from council tax to business rates, claim the tax exemption and pay nothing. All they’re proposing is merely […]
Putin’s unleashing of the most violent act of unprovoked aggression in Europe since 1939 has been matched in Russia by his resorting as never before to lies, violence and shutting-down free-speech. Though the World’s dispute is with just one psychologically unstable autocrat and not with the Russian people, the consequential sanctions have triggering the […]
This week I launch a Charter for Housing Justice. Amongst other things it calls for: 1. Everyone to have a right to a decent, secure, affordable home;2. Radically changing the planning and tax systems to put public good before private gain; first homes before second homes; stronger enforcement powers; and third party right of appeal; […]
We can and should do more to support the people of Ukraine. I’ll stick my neck out. Some politicians may prefer to drape themselves in flags and gestures. I say we could and should give Ukraine air support. I was disappointed at the naivety of the west and its failure to avert the inevitability […]
Learning to live with… Today’s Covid announcement was no more led by science than it was by politics. It was another tactic in “Operation Save Big Dog”. Designed to save the skin of the PM. A man not exactly renowned for his honesty and integrity. Doesn’t matter to him that he’s throwing the vulnerable, […]
I welcome the outcome of the Carbis Bay Hotel’s appeal against enforcement action. It is of course correct that this illegal development is demolished immediately. It will send a helpful message to others who attempt to bypass proper procedure or who believe they are above the rules. The Hotel could go further and help […]