BEYOND the usual media circus, Prime Minister Andy Burnham’s brief visit to Cornwall has opened a door we must now walk through with determination to succeed.

He has invited Cornwall’s six MPs and council leader [Cllr Leigh Frost] to meet him at his Downing Street North (Manchester) soon.

He had texted me in advance of his visit to let me know he was coming, explaining he wouldn’t make it so far west as my constituency, but promised we could have a catch-up meeting when I'm back in Westminster at the end of next week. I know Andy from past sporting team associations as well as joint campaigns (on NHS, culture etc). So, I know something of how he approaches matters (and he’s the first PM with whom I share mobile numbers!), and hope that’ll count for something.

Though I also want to get his support for my Private Members’ Bill, to help those in the most pressing housing need, he wants to talk to the seven of us about the government’s plans to devolve power to Combined Mayoral Authorities which the government believes should be significantly larger than Cornwall. We’ve so far successfully seen off ridiculous predatory attempts by Councils east of the Tamar to subsume us into a bland, placeless, nonentity “Southwest” thingy. Our ambitions are for greater devolved status - a necessarily bespoke settlement specifically for Cornwall - to meet the government's objective and to "play a full and active part in this generational project to shape how our country, economy and democracy work”.

Agreeing Cornwall’s bespoke case would not set a precedent for other places with population levels lower than the government’s notional norm, because Cornwall is unique; with unique non-English history and culture which has contributed to the formal recognition of the Cornish Language and of the Cornish as a National Minority. No English County has any such or similar recognition. Equally, the government should take care not to be perceived to penalise Cornwall because it has such government recognised status.

Cornwall’s strengths would be considerably suppressed if it were forced into a larger strategic body simply to satisfy a simplistic belief that economies of scale and administrative convenience are of greater significance than Cornwall’s many strengths as a self-standing, strategic devolved region in its own right.

The government still wants to promote directly elected mayors. They should understand that Cornwall is very different to Manchester, where we appreciate a directly elected mayor may be popular, and appropriate.

The Cornish motto is not “Onen hag Oll/One and All” for nothing. It represents an essential cultural perspective - the importance of collective engagement. The “One” (Leader) accountable to and engaged with “All” those with whom essential shared decision-making is made. It reflects the reality of Cornwall‘s geography; distinct, and diverse communities, without a dominant “centre” as such. Strong, effective and successful leaders in Cornwall are stronger, more effective and successful when they cooperate and work collectively, recognising these important factors.