Last Thursday, the English Devolution and Community Empowerment Bill was introduced into Parliament. The related press release claimed that the legislation was about unlocking a “generational shift in power from Westminster to those with skin in the game,” and it would “rebalance prosperity, deliver economic growth” along with a “decade of national renewal …”
The Deputy Prime Minister, Angela Rayner, was quoted as saying that her Government was “opting to devolve not dictate” and that they were “ushering in a new dawn of regional power.” As you might expect, I see it somewhat differently. This legislation does not propose meaningful devolution as achieved in Scotland and Wales in the 1990s, and it is silent on Cornwall – Britain’s third Celtic nation.
I am frustrated about what is being termed “devolution” in this context. Much of the focus is on changes to local government rather than Celtic-style devolution, while their preferred approach is clearly regionalisation and the inclusion of Cornwall within a combined authority with parts of SW England.
The situation was summed up succinctly during the recent edition of BBC Politics SW by the presenter Martyn Oates. He drew attention to Labour’s “strong preference for regional mayors … presiding over groups of local authorities,” adding that the legislation would allow central government to “impose them” if wanted. Martyn Oates also brought the viewers’ attention to the content of a recent letter to the leader of Cornwall Council from the Minister of State for Local Government and English Devolution, Jim McMahon. The Minister wrote that Cornwall “will be expected to integrate into the relevant regional strategic authority for the area once one has been established.”
This isn’t devolution. And at the same time that central government is promoting regional mayors, it is also taking powers away from local councils (for example around planning) and, outside of Cornwall, it is forcing councils to merge and the number of elected councillors to be reduced.
It was interesting to read one very measured article from a former Labour Minister, John Denham. It was written before the legislation and did raise a significant challenge: “It’s not yet clear how democratic Labour’s devolution will be. Smaller councils will be abolished, taking decisions away from local communities. Mayors may gain powers from the centre, but some mayors want to pull powers up from local councils too, concentrating power in the hands of a few.”
At this time, I feel it is more important than ever to continue the campaign for proper devolution for Cornwall through bespoke legislation that sits outside of the English Devolution and Community Empowerment Bill.
Article published in the Cornish Guardian (16th July 2025) and the West Briton (17th July 2025).