Devonwall
Encyclopedia
Devonwall was a political concept introduced in the United Kingdom
in the 1970s by the Conservative
government. It was an attempt to link Cornwall
and Devon
together in an economic, political and statistical sense to form a South West region. This involved combining and centralising some local government functions and services such as the police, ambulance, fire services and media output such as local TV and newspapers.
supported this process until the late 1990s. The process was opposed by the Cornish political party Mebyon Kernow
and did not receive widespread support from the Cornish public. After the 1997 general election the Liberal Democrat partly withdrew their support as they said that they agreed that the 'devonwall' process undermined Cornwall's claims to European Objective One funding. Cornish demands for Objective One grant aid in the early 1990s for regeneration were often dismissed by Government officials as unrealistic and unobtainable. but this ignored the fact that of the 56 most deprived areas in Devon and Cornwall, 51 were in Cornwall. Cornwall also had less than 75% of the average European GDP but these statistics were hidden when statistically Cornwall and Devon (with a higher GDP) were linked together. There were also claims that 'devonwall' was an attempt by politicians to hi-jack the Cornish
Celt
ic identity..
In 1998 Cornwall was recognized by the UK Government as having "distinct cultural and historical factors reflecting a Celtic background" , thus allowing it to be separated in a regional and economic sense from Devon. This fact underlines the importance of Celticity to Cornwall in recent years. In July 2000 Mebyon Kernow issued the "Declaration for a Cornish Assembly".
"Cornwall is a distinct region. It has a clearly defined economic, administrative and social profile. Cornwall's unique identity reflects its Celtic character, culture and environment. We declare that the people of Cornwall will be best served in their future governance by a Cornish regional assembly. We therefore commit ourselves to setting up the Cornish Constitutional Convention with the intention of achieving a devolved Cornish Assembly
--Senedh Kernow."
that the management of the Objective One investment is largely controlled from outside Cornwall., by the South West Regional Development Agency (SWRDA), in Exeter
and Bristol
. Cornwall is the only Objective One region in the UK and Europe where the project is administered from outside the region..
Today many Cornish organisations such as Mebyon Kernow, Cornish Solidarity
, the Liberal Democrats, the Cornish Constitutional Convention and Conservative PPCs
and independent councillors still campaign against the 'devonwall' concept and are in favour of Cornwall being run as a distinct cultural, economic and administrative region with its own assembly..
There was renewed opposition to "Devonwall" in Cornwall in 2010, when the new government announced that Local Enterprise Partnership
s will replace Regional Development Agencies. Devon County Council
and Devon-based business interests, including the media, wanted to join with Cornwall to form a "Devonwall" LEP, but there was widespread opposition to this in Cornwall., with Cornwall Council favouring a Cornwall and Isles of Scilly
LEP.
, dubbed a "Devonwall" constituency, as part of the coalition government
's plans to reform the electoral boundaries. It was condemned by Mebyon Kernow
and the Keep Cornwall Whole campaign, who planned protests in Saltash
by the boundary of the historical division between Devon and Cornwall, one of which took place in October 2010. It was announced in September 2011 that the proposed new seat would include Bude in North Cornwall and Bideford in West Devon.
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
in the 1970s by the Conservative
Conservative Party (UK)
The Conservative Party, formally the Conservative and Unionist Party, is a centre-right political party in the United Kingdom that adheres to the philosophies of conservatism and British unionism. It is the largest political party in the UK, and is currently the largest single party in the House...
government. It was an attempt to link Cornwall
Cornwall
Cornwall is a unitary authority and ceremonial county of England, within the United Kingdom. It is bordered to the north and west by the Celtic Sea, to the south by the English Channel, and to the east by the county of Devon, over the River Tamar. Cornwall has a population of , and covers an area of...
and Devon
Devon
Devon is a large county in southwestern England. The county is sometimes referred to as Devonshire, although the term is rarely used inside the county itself as the county has never been officially "shired", it often indicates a traditional or historical context.The county shares borders with...
together in an economic, political and statistical sense to form a South West region. This involved combining and centralising some local government functions and services such as the police, ambulance, fire services and media output such as local TV and newspapers.
History
The Liberal DemocratsLiberal Democrats
The Liberal Democrats are a social liberal political party in the United Kingdom which supports constitutional and electoral reform, progressive taxation, wealth taxation, human rights laws, cultural liberalism, banking reform and civil liberties .The party was formed in 1988 by a merger of the...
supported this process until the late 1990s. The process was opposed by the Cornish political party Mebyon Kernow
Mebyon Kernow
Mebyon Kernow is a left-of-centre political party in Cornwall, United Kingdom. It primarily campaigns for devolution to Cornwall in the form of a Cornish Assembly, as well as social democracy and environmental protection.MK was formed as a pressure group in 1951, and contained as members activists...
and did not receive widespread support from the Cornish public. After the 1997 general election the Liberal Democrat partly withdrew their support as they said that they agreed that the 'devonwall' process undermined Cornwall's claims to European Objective One funding. Cornish demands for Objective One grant aid in the early 1990s for regeneration were often dismissed by Government officials as unrealistic and unobtainable. but this ignored the fact that of the 56 most deprived areas in Devon and Cornwall, 51 were in Cornwall. Cornwall also had less than 75% of the average European GDP but these statistics were hidden when statistically Cornwall and Devon (with a higher GDP) were linked together. There were also claims that 'devonwall' was an attempt by politicians to hi-jack the Cornish
Cornish people
The Cornish are a people associated with Cornwall, a county and Duchy in the south-west of the United Kingdom that is seen in some respects as distinct from England, having more in common with the other Celtic parts of the United Kingdom such as Wales, as well as with other Celtic nations in Europe...
Celt
Celt
The Celts were a diverse group of tribal societies in Iron Age and Roman-era Europe who spoke Celtic languages.The earliest archaeological culture commonly accepted as Celtic, or rather Proto-Celtic, was the central European Hallstatt culture , named for the rich grave finds in Hallstatt, Austria....
ic identity..
In 1998 Cornwall was recognized by the UK Government as having "distinct cultural and historical factors reflecting a Celtic background" , thus allowing it to be separated in a regional and economic sense from Devon. This fact underlines the importance of Celticity to Cornwall in recent years. In July 2000 Mebyon Kernow issued the "Declaration for a Cornish Assembly".
"Cornwall is a distinct region. It has a clearly defined economic, administrative and social profile. Cornwall's unique identity reflects its Celtic character, culture and environment. We declare that the people of Cornwall will be best served in their future governance by a Cornish regional assembly. We therefore commit ourselves to setting up the Cornish Constitutional Convention with the intention of achieving a devolved Cornish Assembly
Cornish Assembly
The Cornish Assembly is a proposed devolved regional assembly for Cornwall in the United Kingdom along the lines of the Scottish Parliament, National Assembly for Wales and Northern Ireland Assembly.-Overview:...
--Senedh Kernow."
Objective One funding
Between 2000 and 2006, £350 million of Objective One funding was made available to Cornwall and the next 'tranche' (called Convergence funding) will last between the beginning of 2008 to 2013 and will be worth £445 million. There have been many complaints from Cornish peopleCornish people
The Cornish are a people associated with Cornwall, a county and Duchy in the south-west of the United Kingdom that is seen in some respects as distinct from England, having more in common with the other Celtic parts of the United Kingdom such as Wales, as well as with other Celtic nations in Europe...
that the management of the Objective One investment is largely controlled from outside Cornwall., by the South West Regional Development Agency (SWRDA), in Exeter
Exeter
Exeter is a historic city in Devon, England. It lies within the ceremonial county of Devon, of which it is the county town as well as the home of Devon County Council. Currently the administrative area has the status of a non-metropolitan district, and is therefore under the administration of the...
and Bristol
Bristol
Bristol is a city, unitary authority area and ceremonial county in South West England, with an estimated population of 433,100 for the unitary authority in 2009, and a surrounding Larger Urban Zone with an estimated 1,070,000 residents in 2007...
. Cornwall is the only Objective One region in the UK and Europe where the project is administered from outside the region..
Today many Cornish organisations such as Mebyon Kernow, Cornish Solidarity
Cornish Solidarity
Cornish Solidarity is a Cornish organisation founded in February 1998. It was founded by the then President of Redruth and District Chamber of Commerce, Mr Greg Woods, who having been disgusted at the press being notified of the demise of South Crofty Mine before the staff and workers of the mine,...
, the Liberal Democrats, the Cornish Constitutional Convention and Conservative PPCs
Prospective parliamentary candidate
Prospective parliamentary candidate is a term used in British politics to refer to candidates selected by political parties to fight individual constituencies in advance of a general election. This terminology was motivated by the strict limits on the amount of expenses incurred by an actual...
and independent councillors still campaign against the 'devonwall' concept and are in favour of Cornwall being run as a distinct cultural, economic and administrative region with its own assembly..
There was renewed opposition to "Devonwall" in Cornwall in 2010, when the new government announced that Local Enterprise Partnership
Local enterprise partnership
Local enterprise partnerships will replace the eight regional development agencies outside Greater London in England, under the current Conservative–Liberal Democrat coalition government...
s will replace Regional Development Agencies. Devon County Council
Devon County Council
Devon County Council is the county council administering the English county of Devon. Based in the city of Exeter, the council covers the non-metropolitan county area of Devon...
and Devon-based business interests, including the media, wanted to join with Cornwall to form a "Devonwall" LEP, but there was widespread opposition to this in Cornwall., with Cornwall Council favouring a Cornwall and Isles of Scilly
Isles of Scilly
The Isles of Scilly form an archipelago off the southwestern tip of the Cornish peninsula of Great Britain. The islands have had a unitary authority council since 1890, and are separate from the Cornwall unitary authority, but some services are combined with Cornwall and the islands are still part...
LEP.
Possible Parliamentary constituency
Further opposition arose in 2010 to a cross-border parliamentary constituencyUnited Kingdom constituencies
In the United Kingdom , each of the electoral areas or divisions called constituencies elects one or more members to a parliament or assembly.Within the United Kingdom there are now five bodies with members elected by constituencies:...
, dubbed a "Devonwall" constituency, as part of the coalition government
Cameron Ministry
David Cameron is Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, after being invited by Queen Elizabeth II to form a new government after the resignation as Prime Minister of Gordon Brown on 11 May 2010. Leading a coalition government formed by the Conservative Party and the Liberal Democrats, the coalition...
's plans to reform the electoral boundaries. It was condemned by Mebyon Kernow
Mebyon Kernow
Mebyon Kernow is a left-of-centre political party in Cornwall, United Kingdom. It primarily campaigns for devolution to Cornwall in the form of a Cornish Assembly, as well as social democracy and environmental protection.MK was formed as a pressure group in 1951, and contained as members activists...
and the Keep Cornwall Whole campaign, who planned protests in Saltash
Saltash
Saltash is a town and civil parish in Cornwall, England, United Kingdom. It has a population of 14,964. It lies in the south east of Cornwall, facing Plymouth over the River Tamar. It was in the Caradon district until March 2009 and is known as "the gateway to Cornwall". Saltash means ash tree by...
by the boundary of the historical division between Devon and Cornwall, one of which took place in October 2010. It was announced in September 2011 that the proposed new seat would include Bude in North Cornwall and Bideford in West Devon.