On Wednesday 29th July, Cornwall Council’s ruling Cabinet voted to “accept the UK Government’s intention to designate Cornwall Council as a single Foundation Strategic Authority (FSA).” At the meeting, a lot was made of the significance of the move as part of the Government’s “devolution” agenda.
It will surprise no-one that I was present at the Cabinet meeting, and the Overview and Scrutiny Committee on the preceding day, when FSA status was also discussed. I made the point that this is a long, long way from the Celtic-style devolution that Cornwall merits and a FSA represents a change to local government arrangements rather than meaningful devolution.
I have acknowledged, however, that a benefit from this designation is that it will presumably safeguard Cornwall as the geography unit for future governance and protect us from being forced unwillingly into an amorphous south west block.
But two days later, the Prime Minister announced that he would give “all mayors of city regions in England a share of income tax revenue … as part of his drive to transfer power from Westminster to local leaders.” Analysis by one newspaper showed how the money would go to mayoralties in the Midlands and the North, the Bristol area, and there would also be a significant uplift in spending in London.
Another Minister, Louise Haigh, was interviewed by BBC Radio 4’s Today programme and she suggested that strategic authorities that bring together multiple councils could also benefit in the near-future. It is also telling that a Cornish Labour MP, Perran Moon, has described such plans as “discriminatory,” adding that they could create a “two-tier system” and Cornwall could be frozen out of getting access to devolved powers. I believe he could be right.
Instead of central government acknowledging and acting upon Cornwall national status and the national minority of the Cornish, it could be that we are sidelined because we only have “foundation” status and many in Westminster consider us little more than an awkward “county.”
Recognition of Cornish nationhood is important and what a contradictory few days it has been in that regard. In Brittany, Cornwall is represented on an equal footing with all the Celtic nations at the Lorient inter-Celtic Festival – where the “Year of Cornwall” is being celebrated by one and all. But in Glasgow, competitors from many countries have been taking part in the Commonwealth Games, which have included Northern Ireland, Scotland, Wales and the Isle of Man. In fact, Cornwall was the only Celtic part of the Commonwealth not formally represented.
Article published in the Cornish Guardian (5th August 2026) and West Briton newspapers (6th August 2026)