The leader of Mebyon Kernow has challenged Cornwall’s six MPs to commit themselves to opposing the imposition of a ‘Devonwall’ parliamentary seat.

Political commentators had believed the plan to reduce the number of MPs from 650 to 600 – which would also lead to the creation of a cross-Tamar seat – was unlikely to proceed because of the level of opposition.

But recent newspaper reports have stated the ten MPs of the Democratic Unionist Party may be reversing their opposition to the boundary changes, and that the Prime Minister could be promising peerages to Tory MPs who would lose their seats in the changes.

MK leader Cllr Dick Cole said: ‘It is extremely worrying to hear that the Conservatives are looking to breathe life back into the Boundary Review process, which would ignore a thousand years of history and lead to a cross-Tamar seat. In terms of Cornwall, it would fail to respect the Framework Convention for the Protection of National Minorities.

‘I am calling on the MPs to pledge now that they will actively oppose a cross-Tamar seat and use their votes in the House of Commons to respect Cornwall’s territoriality.’

In November 2017, Cornwall Councillors backed a cross-party motion against the Devonwall proposal.