Boundary Commission recognises strength of feeling but still proposes cross border seat.
Hopes rest on Parliament voting changes down.
The latest Boundaries Commission report has maintained its recommendation to create a cross border seat in the North or Devon and Cornwall, with only minor changes to their previous proposal.
However they did emphasise strongly the strength of feeling shown against the whole idea of cross-order seat, implying that they proposed crossing it only because the law gives them no alternative.
The report stated:
“We feel that we should record…the overwhelming opposition to the cross-county boundary constituency from across the political spectrum in Cornwall, from a range of organisations representing many different interests in the community and in a large number of written submissions from individuals”
and goes onto say that…
“the Cornish opposition to the concept was founded on a range of historical, cultural, constitutional, and economic arguments supporting the proposition that Cornwall was a separate entity from the rest of England more akin to the Celtic nations of Wales and Scotland – and that it merited the same degree of protection of its identity”
and cites several examples given in support of this argument.
The best chance of stopping the cross-border constituency for the next election now rests with Parliament, which must consider the proposals when they become final after further consultation next year. If Parliament vote down the proposals, which currently seems quite likely, then the 2010 boundaries will remain for the 2015 election.
