THE Cornish nationalist party, Mebyon Kernow, has challenged the main political parties to make 2016 ‘the year of Cornish recognition’.

At the first meeting of the party’s executive in 2016, party members expressed concern that central government had failed to build on the recognition of the Cornish people through the Framework Convention on National Minorities.

Deputy leader Cllr Loveday Jenkin said: ‘It is almost two years since the British Government bowed to years of pressure and recognised that the Framework Convention on National Minorities covered the Cornish. But they have since failed to act on this important convention in terms of the political recognition of Cornwall and the protection of its distinct territoriality. They have also failed to properly invest in Cornwall’s distinct culture and identity.

‘Mebyon Kernow believes that 2016 must be the year that Cornish recognition – in terms of politics and governance, territoriality and culture – becomes a mainstream issue across the UK.’

Mebyon Kernow is preparing a detailed representation which will be sent to the leaders of the main political parties.

Cllr Andrew Long, from Callington, said he wanted to see the people of Cornwall achieving greater control over their political and economic lives through the creation of a legislative National Assembly of Cornwall.