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| Proud to be Cornish - #Cornish Sardines |
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| Get it right in future Waitrose! |
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| next up it will be #Cornish Hake |
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| #Cornish Bass |
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| #Cornish Pollack |
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| and of course, #Cornish Tuna! |
The Government has agreed to recognise the #Cornish as a “national minority”. Ministers are to include the Duchy in their submission to update a European convention designed to protect diversity. The Council of Europe’s Framework Convention for the Protection of National Minorities was adopted by the UK government sixteen years ago. While ethnic minority communities and the Scots, Irish and Welsh were included, the Cornish were not awarded the status.
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Advocates of the move have argued recognition as a “national minority” would help preserve Cornwall’s culture and identity for future generations. They contended that since Cornwall is a Celtic nation it should be afforded a similar status to Wales and Scotland.
Ahead of a visit to Cornwall today, Danny Alexander, Liberal Democrat Chief Secretary to the Treasury, said: “Cornish people have a proud history and a distinct identity. I am delighted that we have been able to officially recognise this and afford the Cornish people the same status as other minorities in the UK.”
Communities Minister Stephen Williams said: “This is a great day for the people of Cornwall who have long campaigned for the distinctiveness and identity of the Cornish people to be recognised officially.
“The Cornish and Welsh are the oldest peoples on this island and as a proud Welshman I look forward to seeing St Piran’s Flag flying with extra Celtic pride on March 5 next year.”
Some 84,000 people declared themselves Cornish in the 2011 Census and dual language street signs are increasingly common.
The Government today recognises the Cornish people as distinct from communities in other regions of the UK. Living Cornwall Editor Simon Parker asks what – if anything – it will mean for Cornwall.
When the late, great David Penhaligon told Parliament “you need more in an economy than just tourism, ice-cream and deck chairs” he could easily have added the word “recognition”.
The Liberal MP, unlike some of today’s Parliamentarians, was genuinely concerned about the welfare of his Truro constituents and about Cornwall as a whole.
Read more here courtesy of the Western Morning News
