Petition launched calling for Cornwall to gain nation status
Stephen Price
A petition has launched calling for the UK Government to formally recognise Cornwall as a nation, ‘granting it equal status to Wales and Scotland’.
The petition, created by Louis Richards which has over 12,000 signatories, reflects Cornwall Council’s backing of a motion calling on the Government to formally recognise Cornwall as the fifth nation of the United Kingdom, alongside England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.
While both Scotland and Wales have devolved governments, they currently don’t have identical status or powers – Scotland having a more extensive range of devolved powers, particularly in areas like justice.
However, the petition states: “We urge the UK Government to formally recognize Cornwall as a nation, granting it equal status to Wales and Scotland. This includes devolved powers, cultural preservation, and official recognition of Cornwall’s distinct heritage, language, and historic autonomy.
“Cornwall has a rich cultural and historical identity, distinct from the rest of England, with its own language, Kernewek, and heritage.
“Despite being part of the UK, Cornwall’s history as a Duchy reflects its unique status. We think granting Cornwall nation status would preserve its culture, promote self-governance, and could empower its people to address local issues.”
Having crossed the 10,000 signature barrier, the UK Government is duty-bound to respond, while at 100,000 signatures, this petition will be considered for debate in Parliament.
Support
The motion, brought forward by Councillor Dick Cole, was supported at the Full Council meeting on 22 July and followed an impassioned speech by Council Leader Councillor Leigh Frost, who set out the case for recognition in his “State of Cornwall in the National Context” address.
Cllr Frost told councillors: “A nation isn’t just a border or a flag. It’s a people. It’s a voice. It’s shared history and a shared purpose. Cornwall has all of that and more.”
“This is not a slogan or a branding exercise. It is a statement of fact and a declaration of intent. We’re ready to take our place. We’re ready to be heard. And we’re ready to shape our future on our own terms.”
The motion follows the publication of “The Cornwall We Know” (State of Cornwall 2025), a report setting out both the challenges Cornwall faces and its potential to lead in areas such as clean energy, critical minerals, and innovation.
Cllr Frost warned that decisions affecting Cornwall are too often made in Westminster without Cornish voices at the table, and that recent changes to national funding risk leaving Cornwall behind unless its status is recognised and strengthened.
“We don’t just need support from the Government – we deserve investment, partnership, and respect,” he said. “This is about ensuring Cornwall’s future is not decided solely in Whitehall or Westminster, but here, by us, for us.”
‘Duty’
Introducing the motion, Councillor Cole said Cornwall Council had a duty to stand up for Cornwall.
“Standing up for Cornwall is what this bill is all about” he said. “The leader of the council has made it clear that he is committed to securing meaningful devolution, whilst also protecting the integrity of our Celtic nation as a political unit. I believe he is right in doing this.
“We have a thousand years of history and a myriad of reasons – cultural, economic, environmental, linguistic, social – as to why we need to stand together and maintain our unity in pushing for that meaningful and bespoke settlement for Cornwall.”
The motion was passed with 53 votes in favour, 22 against and two abstentions.
The Council will now write to the Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer and Deputy Prime Minister, Angela Rayner, and begin cross-party engagement with MPs to build support for Cornwall’s recognition.
The deadline for signing the petition is 11 September 2025.
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Good luck but o don’t think they’ll get anything from this government.
Sadly I’m not sure Cornish devolution would be possible, considering the number of people who actually live there rather than those that also have second homes there. It would be better if Devon and perhaps Dorset went along with them. Devolution has been a mixed bag, it can work well if your hands aren’t tied behind your back as per Wales compared to say Northern Ireland or Scotland or it can be a significant boost focusing resources where they are most needed. Honestly, I’m all in support of recognizing Cornwall and giving it devolved powers. The UK government needs to… Read more »
The Isle of Mann has a population of about 84,000. Jersey has a population of about 104,000. Guernsey has a population of about 65,000. All of these places have full autonomy, more than Scotland for that matter.
Cornwall in comparison has a population of about 570,000. What’s not viable about that? Cornwall is a Celtic Nation and deserves that recognition. More to the point I don’t believe it will ever accept a ‘regional mayor.’ So, any UK Government has a simple choice, give it Nation hood and Parliamentary Government or ignore it and continue with this lopsided devolution joke 🙄
This is very much do-able. Please sign the parliamentary petition – here Your signature counts !!! The Cornish devolution cause is alive and kicking, has bags of experience, and has achieved a huge amount. It will succeed. For starters: Campaigned for Cornwall to be treated as a separate region for statistics and funding SUCCESS Campaigned for Objective One funding (against the SW England Lobby) SUCCESS Campaigned for the Cornish to be classed as a national minority SUCCESS Campaigned for the Cornish language to be protected by the European Charter on Regional or Minority Languages SUCCESS Lobbied all MPs and Peers… Read more »