SINCE we arrived in Parliament just over a year ago, the four Cornish Labour MPs have made it one of our missions to ensure that those at the very heart of government have a better understanding of ‘life beyond the postcard’ in Cornwall.

For decades now, because of the stunning natural beauty that surrounds us and the success of our tourist industry, many people elsewhere in the UK seem to think that all we do is swan around in the sun on the beach, munching pasties and dining out in Rick Stein's restaurants!

The statistics tell another story however: lower than average wages, crippling housing affordability and crumbling public services have been the result of chronic central government underfunding for decades, while other areas of the UK have received much higher funding.

We have, in one way, been victims of the natural beauty! Although a familiar story to us in Cornwall, this is the context that has been ruthlessly communicated by Cornish Labour MPs through the corridors of power, from No 10 to the Treasury, the Department of Health and Social Care, the Department for Education and Ministry for Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG).

We explained to the Treasury that because older, wealthier people are retiring to Cornwall that does not alleviate Cornish poverty and deprivation. In fact, those older folk (who are welcome, by the way!) place a greater strain on health and social care services than poorer working age families.

We have argued with MHCLG that the desperate housing crisis in Cornwall is compounded by second homes and short term lets (we have more in Cornwall than anywhere else outside London), and we need increases in stamp duty and council tax for these types of properties, as well as a compulsory registration scheme to dampen demand and ensure proper health and safety standards are being met.

We have argued that we have seen virtually no recognition of the demands on our public services. On health, we have argued that the Carr-Hill formula simply does not adequately recognise Cornish poverty and deprivation. On education, we have demanded that recognition be made of the desperately difficult job we have in recruiting and retaining teaching staff and the challenges for children with SEND.

The government has also accepted that in order to take on these challenges, rather than short term annual local government settlements, strategic three-year deals will allow local government to plan and implement the necessary changes. Quite rightly, Cornwall Council has been heavily involved in these discussions.

Working cross-government and cross-party has created a compelling argument that the time has come to ensure that Cornwall receives more of the financial support that it deserves. And I’m delighted to say that it looks like this Labour Government has accepted the case for Cornwall.

While there is an intense programme of detailed negotiations currently underway, I am confident that over the next three years, the support that Cornwall receives will far more closely recognise the challenges we actually face, rather than support based on the rose-tinted, picture-postcard view of Cornwall.