The Wind Is In Our Sails, All Hands On Deck – Yma’n Gwyns Y’gan Golyow, Mester ha Maw dhe’n Flour
Put it in the history books that on the 22nd of July, 2025, Cornwall Council voted to pursue nationhood for Kernow. Fifty three in favour, working cross-party to make a stand for our best interests and a bright new future, against twenty two councillors (almost entirely Reform), who voted to preserve our status as destitute English provincials.
So that’s it, right? We win, democracy works, hip hip hooray, let’s pack up and go enjoy tinnies on the beach.
Well, not just yet…
Gorr e y’n lyvrow istori y votyas Konsel Kernow an 22ves a vis Gortheren, 2025, sewya kenedhlegeth a-barth Kernow. Tri ha hanter kans a-barth, owth oberi treus-parti dhe sevel a-barth agan prow ha devedhek nowydh splann, erbynn dew warn ugens (ogas hag oll Reform), neb a raglevas dhe witha agan studh avel rannvroegyon sowsnek yn esow.
Ytho, gwrys yw, ea? Ni a wayn, demokratieth a ober, hure hure, deun hag omlowenhe gans kanigow war’n treth.
Well, na hwath…
Put it in the history books that on the 22nd of July, 2025, Cornwall Council voted to pursue nationhood for Kernow. Fifty three in favour, working cross-party to make a stand for our best interests and a bright new future, against twenty two councillors (almost entirely Reform), who voted to preserve our status as destitute English provincials.
So that’s it, right? We win, democracy works, hip hip hooray, let’s pack up and go enjoy tinnies on the beach.
Well, not just yet. First and foremostly, we can rely on Keir Starmer’s government to make things difficult—the British state is an expert in bureaucratically keeping power centred in Westminster, and few people are more British State than former Director of Public Prosecutions, Sir Keir Rodney Starmer.
It’s unlikely that they’ll deny us outright. More realistically they’ll kick the issue down the road, promising to deal with it in their second term (knowing full well that they won’t be in power after the next general election), while at the same time making every effort to water down the powers handed over as part of the English Devolution Bill. It is very likely that the matter of Cornish devolution will fall to Prime Minister Nigel Farage. We’ve already seen Reform UK try to strangle this project in its cradle, Farage has made anti-devolution comments in the past, and just this year he referred to us in a Party Political Broadcast as “the little county of Cornwall”.
I don’t think it’s cynical of me to say that the fight is far from over, and that while we might end up with a Mayor or a more empowered council, we’re a long way away from Senedh Kernow.
As I write this, Cornwall Council are writing to Keir Starmer and working on cross-party support amongst Cornwall’s six MPs, creating the accepted, legitimate, paperwork-driven bureaucratic case for our national devolution. It is up to us, the people of Cornwall, to create the popular case for national devolution: from banner drops to Tik-Toks to leafleting to long chats in the pub, however best we can get the message out. Keeping this issue in the news will turn the heat up in London, so we can’t get quiet about this.
Thanks to comrades past and present in Mebyon Kernow and in the Cornish Democracy Unit, a lot of the heavy lifting has been done already; it’s up to us to bring this ship into port.
The material benefits of devolution have been thoroughly well-researched and a model for the devolutionary process mapped out (Towards A Cornish Parliament, Mebyon Kernow, 2022), all we have to do is get people on-board and, together, hold Westminster to account. Write to your MP, encourage them to support the movement for Cornish nationhood. Sign the .gov petition calling for Cornish nationhood. Talk to your friends and family. Join Mebyon Kernow, and if you’re under 35, Kernow Rydh. There are people organising around this, and you could be one of them. Read up on the devolutionary process and be ready to educate people around you, because English politicians and their lackeys in the media are going to fire on us and it’s vital that we can fire back.
It’s not all doom and gloom. For once, the winds are blowing in our favour; devolution is having a bit of a moment in British politics. All across the political spectrum, it is understood that the intense centralisation of the British state has failed everyone—for different reasons, sure, but we all arrive at a similar conclusion. Our local councils and unitary authorities are stretched to breaking point; every year our taxes go up while our public services get worse. Now we’ve got to the point where centrist think-tanks are calling for local councils to be able to raise tourist tax.
For all Labour’s inane obsession with Combined Authorities, their commitment to deepening devolution settlements within England seems to be one of the few election pledges they’ve managed to stick to. Even Nigel Farage has backtracked on his statement that the Senedd should be dissolved, though this might have more to do with Reform UK standing in next year’s Senedd elections than any genuine commitment to enhancing democracy. After all, Reform UK still seem to be terrified of the words Senedd Cymru, referring to it exclusively as the “Welsh Parliament” in their materials.
With all this in mind, here’s a few arguments people have had against nationhood for Kernow, and here are some responses you can have for free (but, please, go do your reading and form your own replies. Repeating dogma gets us nowhere, and if each of us gets smarter, we all get stronger. Plus, some of my replies are mediocre at best, and I’m counting on you guys to do better so I can steal yours). I’m not being silly with some of the complaints, I’m just going through social media and this is what people are saying.
We’re too small!
St Kitts and Nevis are a tenth of our size, but exist as an independent nation on the world stage. We’re not even asking for full national independence either, just for a national parliament within the pre-existing framework of the United Kingdom. Other countries with populations comparable to ours (but with far greater political freedom) include, but are not limited to: Montenegro, Brunei, Malta, Belize, Iceland, The Bahamas, Cabo Verde, and Suriname.
We’re too poor!
The GDP of Cornwall is estimated to sit at about £13billion, and it continues to rise. I’m not going to pretend we’re not struggling; we quite clearly are. Years of having our resources and assets stripped by the English have left us with some of the highest levels of destitution in the UK, alongside some of the highest rents. This is a big part of why we need to manage our own economy. An English government is never going to give Kernow the attention it needs, nor is it going to be seriously driven to solve our issues; we’ve got to solve them ourselves.
Our land is wealthy, our people driven and intelligent, and English rule betrays us. Our poverty isn’t a reason against our autonomy, it’s a reason for it.
I’m British and Cornish, I don’t want to have to choose between the two!
You don’t have to. In much the same way the Welsh and Scots are British citizens as well as being Welsh and Scottish, you too can be British and Cornish. You can even be English and Cornish, how you choose to identify yourself within the headfuck that is national identity is your own business, but we can’t leave Cornwall to rot just because you’re insecure about your place in the world.
If Cornwall gets its own Parliament, why not give one to England too? Why not give one to Kent, or Yorkshire?
It would be good for everyone in the UK for England to get its own parliament. Why can Scottish MPs vote on issues that only affect English constituents? But that’s not a reason to restrict our democracy here in Kernow; that’s a reason for the English to campaign for their own parliament, and that’s not our business.
As for Kent or Yorkshire, yeah, do it. More regional autonomy is good for democracy, and usually good for local economies. Empower every regional parliament to adopt the Preston Model and we might actually do something about poverty within my lifetime. But Cornwall’s case for nationhood goes beyond enhancing democracy: we have our own culture, our own language (not a dialect, a language, one that comes from a totally different linguistic root to English), and an identity that is distinctly Not English. It’s high time this was recognised with political autonomy.
A Cornish Nationalist was rude to me!
This is not a reason to deny a people their right to nationhood. Grow up.
Shit, it happened again.
It’ll be too costly! Isn’t this just giving more money to Cornwall Council?
No, this is replacing Cornwall Council with a Cornish Parliament, who’ll be able to levy their own taxes and find alternative revenue streams. As a national parliament, we’d be recipients of a block grant as dictated by the Barnett formula, which would allow us to employ our own civil service and invest more effectively in the local economy.
You don’t have your own culture, you barely speak your own language!
When Wales started making the push for devolution, their language was in a bad way too. But since they got their devolution deal, Senedd Cymru has put a huge amount of time and effort into preserving their language. Imagine how much more accessible Kernewek could be with Cornish language TV and radio, with state-funded night classes, with our language taught as part of our national curriculum.
At all costs, we must reject an English regional mayor and the bloated bureaucracy that comes with it. We must reject Devonwall and the continued marginalisation of issues unique to our communities. We must reject the narrative that we’re just “the little county of Cornwall”. The time is now, the place is here, the people are us. Before I leave you, I’d like to remind you to sign the petition calling for nationhood for Kernow. It’ll take you about three minutes, and it’s the easiest way to let our state know that the time has come for us to take control of our own destiny. No anglo-centric ignorance, just your name and postcode, and we’re one step closer to Senedh Kernow.
Meur ras, nos da, dursona.
Gorr e y’n lyvrow istori y votyas Konsel Kernow an 22ves a vis Gortheren, 2025, sewya kenedhlegeth a-barth Kernow. Tri ha hanter kans a-barth, owth oberi treus-parti dhe sevel a-barth agan prow ha devedhek nowydh splann, erbynn dew warn ugens (ogas hag oll Reform), neb a raglevas dhe witha agan studh avel rannvroegyon sowsnek yn esow.
Ytho, gwrys yw, ea? Ni a wayn, demokratieth a ober, hure hure, deun hag omlowenhe gans kanigow war’n treth.
Well, na hwath. Yn kynsa le, ni a yll fydhya war wovernans Keir Starmer dhe wul dhe buptra bos kales—stat Breten Veur yw konnyk a witha nerth kreshes yn Sen Stefan yn burokratek, hag yma boghes a dus moy Stat Breten Veur ages kyns Kevarwodher Darsewyansow Poblek, Syrr Keir Rodney Starmer.
Diwirhaval yw y hwrons i agan skonya yn tien. Moy gwirvosek yw i dhe botya an mater an fordh war-nans, owth ambos delya ganso y’ga thermyn nessa (ow kodhvos yn ta ny vydhons i ow rewlya wosa etholans kemmyn nessa), yn kettermyn ow kul pub assay dhe wannhe an gallosow grontys avel rann an Laghen Digresennans Sowsnek. Pur wirhaval yw y hwra mater digresennans Kernow kodha dhe Bennvenyster Nigel Farage. Seulabrys ni re welas Reform UK dhe assaya tegi an ragdres ma yn y gowel lesk, Farage re wrug kampollow gorth-digresennans kyns, ha hevlena ev a’gan gelwis yn Darlesans Parti Gwlasek avel “an gonteth vyghan a Gernow”
Ny dybav y vos kynykal ahanav dhe leverel bos an omladh pell a vos gorfennys, ha kynth yw possybyl ni dhe gavos Mer po konsel moy gallosegys, pell yth eson ni a Senedh Kernow.
Ha my ow skrifa, yma Konsel Kernow ow skrifa orth Keir Starmer hag oberi war skoodhyans treus-parti a hwegh ES Kernow, ow kwruthyl an kas burokratek laghus amyttys ha paperweyth-lewys a-barth agan digresennans kenedhlek. Y tal dhyn, gwerin Kernow, gwruthyl an kas gwerinek a-barth digresennans kenedhlek: a vaneryow dhe Dik-Toks dhe folenigya dhe geskowsow hir y’n diwotti, py fordh pynag dhe dharlesa an messach. Gwitha hemma y’n nowodhow a wra kressya an tes yn Loundres, ytho ny yllyn koselhe a-dro dhe hemma.
Gras dhe gothmans a’n passys hag a-lemmyn yn Mebyon Kernow hag Unses Demokratieth Kernow, meur a’n ober poos re beu gwrys seulabrys; agan dever yw gidya an gorhel ma y’n porth.
An lesow materyal a dhigresennans re beu hwithrys yn kowal hag yn ta, ha patron rag an argerdh-digresenna mappys (Towards A Cornish Parliament, Mebyon Kernow, 2022), oll hag yw res dhyn yw gul dhe dus kemeres rann ha, war-barth, gelwel Sen Stefan dhe ri akont. Skrif orth dha ES, gwra aga hennertha dhe skoodhya an movyans a-barth kenedhlegeth Kernow. Sin an govenek .gov ow kelwel rag kenedhlegeth Kernow. Kows orth kowetha ha teylu. Jun Mebyon Kernow, ha mars os yn-dann 35 bloodh, Kernow Rydh. Yma tus ow restra a-dro dhe hemma, ha ty a alsa bos onan anedha. Red a’n argerdh-digresenna ha bos parys dhe adhyski tus y’th kerghyn, drefen bos mynnes dhe bolitegoryon sowsnek ha’ga gwesyon y’n media setha orthyn ha res porres yw y hyllyn dassetha.
Nyns yw puptra terros ha trystys. Rag unweyth, yma’n gwynsow ow hwytha a’gan parth; yma digresennans ow tuedhi yn politegieth Breten Veur. A-dreus an spektrum politek, konvedhys yw y hwrug kresennans glew stat Breten Veur fyllel rag pubonan—rag achesonys dyffrans, gwir, mes devedhys on ni oll orth erviransow kehaval. Agan konsels leel hag awtoritys unses yw tennys dhe dorrva; pub bledhen y kress tollow ha gonisyow poblek ow kwethhe. Lemmyn y teuth dhe le may hwra melinyow-tybi gelwel rag gallos konsels leel kuntel toll tornysi.
Yn spit dhe vegh brys gocki Lavur gans Awtoritys Kesunys, aga omrians orth downhe restri digresennans yn Pow Sows a hevel bos onan a’n arwostlow etholans boghes may feu mentenys gansa. Nigel Farage hogen re vovyas war gamm yn kever y venegyans y talvia keskar Senedd Kembra, kynth yw hemma martesen moy kelmys orth mynnes Reform UK ombrofya yn etholansow Senedd nessa bledhen ages omrians gwir orth ynkressya demokratieth. Byttiwedh, y hevel bos Reform UK hwath dyegrys a’n geryow Senedd Cymru, orth y elwel yn unnik “the Welsh Parliament” y’ga devnydhyow.
Gans hemma oll yn brys, ottomma nebes argyansow gwrys gans tus erbynn kenedhlegeth rag Kernow, hag ott nebes gorthebow heb kost ragos (mes, mar pleg, ke ha redya ha furvya dha worthebow dha honan. Dasleverel dogma ny wra tra vyth, ha mar omgonnykha pubonan ahanan, ni oll a omgrefha. Hag yth yw nebes anedha heb meur a vri, ytho y trestyav dhywgh oll gul gwell may hallav ladra agas gorthebow). Ny wrav gesya gans nebes a’n krodhvolyow, ny wrav marnas mos dres myski socyal ha hemm yw pyth yw leverys.
Re vyghan on ni!
Sen Kytto ha Nevis yw degves rann a’gan braster, mes kenedhel anserghek yns i war wariva an bys. Ha nyns on ni ow pysi anserghogeth kenedhlek leun hogen, marnas senedh kenedhlek a-ji framweyth a-lemmyn an Ruvaneth Unys. Powyow erel gans poblans komparadow dhyn (mes gans rydhses politek lieskweyth moy) a yssyns, mes nyns yns strothys orth: Montenegro, Brunay, Malta, Beliz, Rewenys, An Bahamas, Repoblek Cabo Verde, ha Surinam.
Re voghosek on ni!
Kowl-Askor Tre Kernow yw dismygys bos a-dro dhe £13bilvil, ha hwath y hwra kressya. Ny wrav fasya nag eson ni ow kwynnel; yn kler yth eson ni. Bledhynnyow a’gan asnodhow ha pythow ow pos destryppys gans an Sowson re ros dhyn nebes a’n nivelyow a voghosogneth an moyha y’n RU, keffrys ha gans rentyansow. Hemm yw rann vras prag yth yw res dhyn restra erbysiedh agan honan. Ny wra governans sowsnek nevra ri dhe Gernow an rach yw res, na bos omres yn sevur dhe assoylya agan kudynnow; res yw dhyn aga assoylya agan honan.
Golusek yw agan tir, omres ha skentel agan pobel, ha rewl sowsnek yw traytour dhyn. Nyns yw boghosogneth acheson erbynn omrewl, acheson a-barth yw.
Kernow ha bretennek ov vy, ny vynnav dewis ynter an dhew!
Nyns eus edhom dhis. Yn kepar fordh hag yw an Gembrion hag Albanyon burjysi Breten Veur keffrys ha Kembro hag Alban, ty a yll bos Kernow ha bretennek ynwedh. Ty a yll bos Kernow ha Sows hogen, fatel vynnir omunya y’n strol hag yw honanieth kenedhlek yw dhiso jy, mes ny yllyn gasa Kernow pedri drefen dha vos andhiogel yn kever dha le y’n bys.
Mar pe dhe Gernow hy Senedh, prag na ri onan dhe Bow Sows ynwedh? Prag na dhe Gint, po Pow Evrek?
Y fia da rag pubonan y’n RU rag Pow Sows dhe gavos senedh y honan. Prag y hyll ESow votya yn materyow a nas dewisysi sowsnek hepken? Mes nyns yw hemma acheson dhe strotha agan demokratieth omma yn Kernow; acheson yw rag an Sowson dhe gaskyrghes a-barth aga senedh aga honan, ha nyns yw henna dhyn nyni.
Gans Kint ha Pow Evrek, ea, gwra va. Moy a omrewl ranndirek yw da rag demokratieth, ha rag erbysiedhow leel herwydh usadow. Gwra gallosegi pub senedh dhe astewis an Patron Preston ha martesen ni a wra gul neppyth a-dro dhe voghosogneth y’m oos. Mes kas Kernow rag kenedhlegeth a wra pella es gallosegi demokratieth: yma dhyn agan gonisogeth, agan yeth (na rannyeth, yeth, onan a dheu a wreydhen a yethow dyffrans yn tien a Sowsnek), ha honanieth hag yw yn tiblans A-Der Sowsnek. Hen brys yw bos hemma aswonys gans omrewl politek.
Kenedhloger Kernow o garow dhymm!
Nyns yw acheson rag lettya pobel orth aga gwir a genedhlegeth. Adhves.
Kawgh, y hwyris arta.
Y fydh re gostek! A nyns yw hemma ri moy a arghans dhe Gonsel Kernow?
Nag yw, hemm yw aslea Konsel Kernow gans Senedh Kernow, hag a wra gallos kuntel aga thollow aga honan ha trovya ken frosow arghasans. Avel senedh kenedhlek, ni a via degemeroryon gront stock dell yw dythys gans furvell Barnett, hag a assa dhyn arveth agan gonis civil agan honan ha kevarghewi moy effeythus y’n erbysiedh leel.
Nyns eus gonisogeth dhywgh, skant ny gewsowgh agas yeth hwi!
Pan dhallathas Kembra herdhya a-barth digresennans, yth esa aga yeth yn studh drog ynwedh. Mes a-ban wrussons kavos aga bargen digresennans, Senedd Cymru re worras myns kowrek a dermyn ha nerth yn gwitha aga yeth. Dismyk pygemmys moy hedhadow a allsa bos Kernewek gans PW ha radyo Kernewek, gans klassow nos tylys gans an stat, gans agan yeth dyskys avel rann again kors-dyski kenedhlek.
Awos eghen, res yw nagha mer ranndirek sowsnek ha’n burokratieth hwythys a dheu ganso. Res yw nagha Devonwall ha’n amalheans a bes a vateryow unnik dh’agan kemenethow. Res yw nagha an hwedhel agan bos namoy es “an gonteth vyghan a Gernow”. Lemmyn yw an termyn, an le ma yw an tyller, ni yw an bobel. Kyns my dhe vodya, my a vynsa dha gofhe a sinya an govenek usi ow kelwel rag kenedhlegeth rag Kernow. Ny vydh res moy es a-dro dhe deyr mynysen, hag yth yw an fordh esya dhe dherivas orth agan state bos an termyn devedhys ragon dhe gemeres maystri a’gan tenkys ni. Nicita sowskresek vyth, hanow ha koden bos hepken, hag yth eson kamm ogassa dhe Senedh Kernow.
Meur ras, nos da, dursona.
Liberto Guzman
Moy Ahanan – More From Us
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