How Fedarlist are the LibDems Two.

Last Week I asked the question "Just How Federal are the Liberal Democrats?".

I was asking the question about Wales in particular but it seems Mebyon Kernow leader Dick Cole when looking at the very question  with regards Cornwall has the answer.

At the moment Mebyon Kernow  platform It primarily campaigns for devolution to Cornwall in the form of a Cornish Assembly,

Some Cornish Nationalist   would clearly like the aim of the party to be independence . But if this is what  MK want then you could ask why not simply join the Liberal Democrats.

 They have has Dicck Cole points out claimed they are in favour of a Cornish Assembly..

But its as Dick indicates just words. 

As just one example by him  shows the LibDems will not provide what they promise

At another conference of Cornish Liberal Democrats in November 2005, they re-affirmed their commitment to the campaign for a Cornish Assembly. The motion specifically stated that “devolution to a Cornish tier of strategic regional government” was needed in advance of any reform to local government structures. In their press material to publicise the event, Andrew George MP said: “… the Government will not get away with their belief that they can fob us off with a rearrangement of deckchairs on the Titanic of local government.”

Worryingly for us in Wales it seem that the LibDems  may be about to offer us little more .

According yo Dicks Blog.

It has been announced that the Liberal Democrats will be debating devolution at their spring conference in York next month.

One local Liberal Democrat was reported as saying that the proposal for their conference was for “asymmetric devolution,” where “different regions could assume different powers from government.”

He is also reported as saying that the “culture, identity and history” of Cornwall made it a special case and that the “foundations for a devolved assembly, based on the Welsh model, had already been laid through the creation of the unitary authority.”

This does not look like the LibDems here will be demanding much in the way of "Parity with Scotland"  for Wales and even if they do who can realy say it what they actualy want.

And heres a lesson for Plaid the three Unionist Parties in the Assembly can bicker about piss poor proposals from Westminster on tax raising powers but its time to leave piecemeal  devolution behind.

Plaid leader has said this is a not a priority for the party  .

I welcome such a statement . 


Is it not  about time Plaid lays down the minimum of devolution it will enter into any "Cross Party Consensus" and  ask the other Parties how far they really want to go?