Joint mayor idea dangerous for Cornwall, MP says

Liberal Democrat MP for North Cornwall Ben Maguire has responded to the government's Devolution and Community Empowerment Bill

Ministers have been warned that any attempt to force Cornwall to accept a joint mayor with Devon would be "insulting, unlawful and dangerous", North Cornwall's Liberal Democrat MP Ben Maguire has said.

His comments came as MPs debated the government's Devolution and Community Empowerment Bill.

It aims to extend devolution across the country, but the government has been clear it would only grant the highest level of devolved powers to groups of councils that came together under a shared mayor.

This has been the sticking point for many – though not all – politicians in Cornwall.

While Devon's council leaders were keen to unite both counties in a strategic authority under a shared mayor, the idea has been overwhelmingly rejected by Cornwall Council.

Maguire said: "My constituents have been crystal clear with me, Cornwall must never be forcibly joined with Devon or merged into any wider regional authority."

He argued it would infringe on the legal protections the Cornish were awarded as a national minority in 2014.

Perran Moon, Labour MP for Camborne and Redruth, agreed and has threatened to vote against his own government if the bill is not ultimately amended to offer Cornwall a bespoke arrangement.

Labour MP for Camborne and Redruth Perran Moon has threatened to vote against the government's bill

He said: "In relation to the bill currently drafted, Cornwall is prevented from accessing the highest level of devolution because to do so would require us to compromise our national minority status.

"For us this is not just about functional local government, it goes way, way deeper into our souls; a centuries-old desire for increased autonomy and self-governance in our place on this multi-national island."

Deputy Prime Minister and Local Government Secretary Angela Rayner previously said she wanted to "do devolution with the people of Cornwall, not to them".

But the legislation would give her the power to order councils to combine and accept mayors.