Last week saw Parliament return after the Summer Recess.
It was good to take feedback from my work during the summer
back to colleagues in Westminster so I can better serve the people of
Mid-Cornwall.
Of note in Parliament last week I met with Sports Minister
Tracey Crouch to make the case for better recognition for Cornish Pilot Gig
Rowing.
While I was in Westminster I was also able to travel out to
the national air traffic control centre at Swanwick to see the vital work they
do in controlling our aviation.
Over the weekend it was good to join with local councillors
and residents as part of a big community clean up in St Blazey, collecting a
large amount of rubbish as part of an organised litter pick.
This week sees a long running issue with a potentially big
impact on Cornwall return with the Boundary Commission reporting back to
Parliament with its latest proposals for changing Parliamentary constituency
boundaries across the UK.
This is particularly contentious for Cornwall because it
could see the creation of a ‘Devonwall’ Parliamentary seat, with a MP
representing people in both Devon and Cornwall.
I have been opposed to any changes such as this since they
were first proposed, for a number of reasons.
Firstly, there is the principle of crossing Cornwall’s
historic border with a constituency. In 2014 the Government recognised the
Cornish as a national minority under the Framework Convention of the Council of
Europe, which I am now a member of. The government at the time said this would
now afford the same recognition to the Cornish as the other Celtic parts of the
UK, the Scottish Welsh and Irish. No one would entertain having a cross border
seat between Wales and England or Scotland and England, and therefore with the
protection the Cornish enjoy under the Framework Convention I believe it is
fundamentally wrong that this seat be put forward.
Secondly the new constituencies as based on cutting the
number of MPs from the current 650 to 600. With Brexit now imminent, the UK
will be taking back a lot of legislative work that is currently handled by the
EU. This is a good thing, but is not a time when we should be cutting the
democratic representation in our country. We will be losing 73 Members of the
European Parliament and their responsibilities will be coming back to the UK
Parliament – where they should be. If we are reducing the numbers of
Parliamentarians, I think a better place to start would be by reforming and
reducing the bloated House of Lords.
I will await the Boundary Commission’s report with interest.
At some point there will need to be a vote on these new boundaries and I remain
determined to fight for an outcome that is right for Cornwall.
My team and I are here to serve the whole constituency and
work hard to make a real difference to the lives of everyone needing support.
The office is open to the public Monday – Friday 10.00am – 4.00pm (no
appointment necessary). If there is an issue you would like my assistance on
then please, either visit the office or contact me on either 01726 829379 or
office@stevedouble.org.uk. Additionally, I hold regular, appointment only,
advice surgeries across the constituency. Dates of these can be found at:
www.stevedouble.org.uk/events
