It does seem strange that 'county' flags are not allowed, but as Cornwall is widely and rightly perceived as a Nation it is being discriminated upon by the 'National' flag ruling.
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I really couldn't give a hoot in hell about the English Counties.
Er, thanks but no thanks. Is this not one rule for you, one rule for me?
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This is Cornwall. It may be smaller and less populated than some areas but it is bigger than the Isle of Man and they're allowed their own flag. Size should not matter !
So are you really saying the the St Piran Gwyn ha Du should be legal, but the (my) Lancastrian Red Rose shouldn't? One rule for you, one rule for me or what? (especially given the constitutional position
I hope that clarifies the situation. St Piran, Cornwall should be legal along side the Red Rose.
Fair deal.
Regards,
Patrick
Well, this is my first contribution to this forum so I am a novice. However, I am willing to learn and I would like to start with understanding Mr Fishwick's point of view outlined in the above quote posted ealier on this forum.
Firstly, bearing in mind the comment in the "inspired" letter written to the Minister, Yvette Cooper, and posted by Falub, that Cornwall is a "duchy" and not a "county", I would be grateful if somebody would explain why Cornwall should be treated in the same manner as English counties.
Secondly, the analogy with the Duchy of Lancaster which Mr Fishwick draws upon to, presumably, if the nature of his previous postings on this site is anything to go by, diminish the unique status of Cornwall within the UK unwitten Constitution, is not at all appropriate. I am able to assert this for the following reasons:
1) There is no indigenous, minority recognised language peculiar to Lancashire, in Lancashire or anywhere else. Cornwall, of course, has its own indigenous Celtic language, spoken both in Cornwall and throughout the Diaspora.
2) Lancashire/ the Duchy of Lancaster does not have a distinct and entirely seperate folklore tradition from that of the English majority of the UK. Cornwall does.
3) Unless I am greatly mistaken, the current head of state, is the Duke of Lancaster, the same head of state as the rest of the UK, with the exception of Kernow, which as everybody knows has the Duke of Cornwall. He, and not the Queen, exercises the royal prerogative in Cornwall alone (to do so anywhere else would be illegal). This fact on itself makes the Duchy of Cornwall a very different animal from the Duchy of Lancaster.
4) The inhabitants of Lancashire are NOT in an historic, unresolved territorial dispute with central government. The situation in Cornwall is very different, as the very existence of this forum is testifimony. Under such circumstances, it is, perhaps, understandable why the flying of the flag of St Piran is such a sensitive issue.
5) The Duchy of Lancaster and other English counties do not have a Gorsedh, or analagous cultural organisations to promote their cultural interests.
6) The "Red Rose" is well-known as an historic symbol appertaining to one warring faction of the English majority of the UK, against another. The Cornish flag is symbolic of a UK minority.
7) To my knowledge, there is no worldwide, organised diaspora relating to English counties, including the Duchy of Lancaster. In Australia, as some members of this forum will confirm, there are Cornish associations in all of the Australian states. The same is true of the USA and other parts of the World where mining has/is taking place. Although in Cornwall, we have an adjective, i.e. "Cornish" which describes our culture and language etc, I have yet to see, in titles of organisations, similar adjectives describing English counties and the Duchy of Lancaster. Is there a LAV (Lancashirish Association of Victoria)?
Of course, I could continue but, for the moment will finish by asking Mr Fishwick one final question. Why does he continue cynically to contribute to a Cornish forum when his points of view (and those of others, I hasten to add) would be better placed on more appropriately English forums?
Maybe if you spoke to the welsh and expalined the Cornish situation they might take an interest.
I always do this and always get the same rely "I didn't know....."
I worked in Dublin a while back and the Irish were fascinated to know about our heritage.
Don't be ashamed of your heritage - tell people who might be interested as well, i.e. the Welsh and the Irish, they have struggled and fought to free themselves of English domination.
I would never wish to upset the English about the right or otherwise to fly their County flags. They must fight their own battles over this. My only concern is Cornwall. I am not now breaking the law for financial reasons, I am doing it because I beleive I have the right to fly the St. Piran's flag on and from my property in my own land. If Counties wish to pursue their rights so be it and the very best of luck to them. I hope they are as passionate as I am about this matter.
Meanwhile, hereunder my response to Carrick Council's communication with me:
The Planning Department
Development Services
Carrick District Council
Carrick House
Pydar Street TRURO
TR1 1GT 29th July, 2006
Dear Sir
Town & Country Planning Act, 1990 - Town & Country Planning (Control of Advertisements) Regulations, 1992 - The Flag of Saint Piran of the Tinners of Cornwall
I write to thank you very much for your recent communication together with its enclosures most notably application forms compiled under the abovementioned Act and Statutory Instrument to allow for consent to display an advertisement, supplementary questions and a list of fees which seems to indicate that I am required to submit £75 to allow for the process of such an application.
I have read through all documentation sent to me very carefully.
I am flying the Flag of Saint Piran from a flag pole in my garden. The flag pole is visible from without my property. I am not in business and I am not advertising anything.
I believe I have a right as a Cornishman to fly the flag of St. Piran in and from my own property. This pole has been in place for many years and I am sure that you will know that the flag in question, black with a white cross, has been widely recognised as that of Cornwall. This fact has even been noted in the submissions to the United Nations concerning Cornwall’s bid, now successful, for UNESCO World Heritage status.
To the best of my knowledge, there have been no local complaints regarding my flag and indeed, many others may be seen in my locale as well as across our Duchy.
I have written to Yvette Cooper M.P. Minister for Planning about this as I cannot understand why our flag is classed as an advertisement. Indeed, its origins actually predate the Union Flag.
Whilst I understand that you are obligated to enforce the law and I can assure you that you can expect every co-operation from me in the execution of your duties to include any investigation to gather evidence and subsequent process, I am afraid that this is very much a matter of deeply held principle on my part and I shall continue to fly the St. Piran’s flag.
I believe strongly in the rule of law and also of equality before the law. This equality does not seem to often apply in respect of the Cornish people and I am prepared to contest this matter and to call upon my rights not only as a Cornishman but as a Citizen of Europe. Often laws need to be questioned and challenged just as they were in South Africa and India by passive methods in order to bring to light unjust legislation as in this individual case.
I so trust that you understand my feelings and assure you of every polite assistance whilst looking forward to your earliest response.
I agree entirely with you Nige999. The only means by which we can explain our position to everyone is by word of mouth and via the Internet.
Although this is sometimes a very slow and frustrating method of disseminating information, there are encouraging signs that awareness of our situation is increasing, if not at home but certainly on the Continent.
There has been a significant rise in the number of visits by foreign film crews and reporters in the past few months. The most recent being a film crew from the Romantsch-speaking area of Switzerland which came to Cornwall, not because they regarded us as "English" but because they view us as a distinct national minority with our own threatened minority language.
I am reliably informed that the journalist was both horrified and encouraged by the visit. Horrified by the depressing state of the Cornish economy and the affect which the lack of recognition and severe of lack of funding has had upon our cultural interests - encouraged by the tenacity of Cornish people to have developed and promoted their language and culture in the face of such adversity and hostility.
No doubt, similar crews will be coming in the months ahead.
I am advised that in the Rhaeto-Romantsch parts of Switzerland, too , they have their fair share of quislings and people who are willing to accept crumbs instead of a fair deal etc. However, they do not seem to be experiencing the kind of interference by the Swiss majorities on analogous Romantsch web-sites when compared to this one which sometimes appears to be overrun by Anglo-centric opinion in support of the majority. I think that is very, very strange indeed.
Another point worth noting here was that the Cornish were allocated their own ethnic code (06) for the 2001 UK Census and for all subsequent censuses (even though it was not widely publicised at the time).
How many other UK "counties" or duchies have been allocated a census code ?
If we have an ethnic code we are a people.
If we are a people then we are a nation.
If we are a nation then we should have a distinctive political establishment - a Cornish Assembly.
Being Devil's Advocate here - I thought we already had a constitutional provision for a Cornish Stannary Parliament which, as several posters to this forum have mentioned, has never been revoked or repealed. Don't get me wrong but why bother to canvass for a Cornish Assembly with very limited powers when we have the legal basis in place for an institution which, given a chance to update, would be immensely more powerful and significant?
As one who has just joined this forum, I would be very grateful if an Assembly supporter might explain this point, especially since Mr Prescott and his lackeys have bent over backwards to dismiss their appeal.
Although, as a Cornishman, I would be very keen to see a devolved government in Cornwall, I have a very niggling feeling that, unless the Constitutional status of Cornwall and its Duke is clarified, any attempt to gain devolved status which ignores that unique status, would be thwarted by the Monarchist English Establishment.
I hesitate to give my thoughts on the two distinctive ways of developing Cornish self-government as it seems like one approach or the other whereas i think both add to cornish distinctiveness.
Cornwall certainly has a distinctive constitutional heritage. It is dreadful that that heritage was usurped by the Establishment and that Westminster is now fully taken over government of our Duchy.
The prospect of the re-establishment of a Cornish Stannary Parliament with update constitution and far-ranging powers seems to be far, far away. Devolution is a process which is well established and would allow for some powers vested at Westminster to be returned to the people of Cornwall, in the short term it is much more likely to be achieved and would instantly establish a modern democratic institution with aspects of devolved government.
As far as I can see there is no reason why that can't eventually take on all previous Stannary and constitutional aspects if it has the support of the people. It may well be that my view is incorrect and that as 'hunlef' says the establishment will attempt to thwart moves towards devolution. In that case there seems to be merit in both approaches.
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