Uploaded February 2022 | Updated September 2026, 3 days ago
Could Cornwall be independent? Cornish independence might seem far off, but the Cornish nationalism movement is growing. In Truro, the capital of Cornwall (or Kernow, in the Cornish language), I spoke with Cornish nationalists pushing for Cornish devolution - a Cornish parliament, rather than the Cornwall Council - which some see as a step towards Cornish independence. They told me how Cornish people have been marginalised, from having the Cornish language neglected to the plague of second homes and holiday homes that is eroding Cornish identity and Cornish culture, and the controversy around “Devonwall”. I also spoke with a councillor from Mebyon Kernow, a Cornish political party that hopes to achieve a devolved parliament for Cornwall, instead of the Cornwall Council, which it has now.
You've probably heard of the four countries of the UK, but few know that Cornwall, currently administered as a county in southwest England, is also a Celtic nation. In a previous video, I travelled to Truro, Cornwall’s capital, to learn about the Cornish language, and Cornish culture and identity. But what about the challenges facing Cornwall? Merging Cornwall with Devon, to form Devonwall, threatens to further marginalise the Cornish community by diluting their voting power. Holiday homes leave towns half-empty during the off-season and price Cornish locals out of the housing market. Education is from an English perspective, and rarely acknowledges Cornwall’s unique history.
Tension between the Cornish and the English is nothing new, and has further ignited calls for Cornish devolution, similar to the situation in Wales, Scotland, and Northern Ireland. With devolved power, Cornwall would be able to protect it's indigenous Celtic language as it sees fit, regulate tourism to control the number of holiday homes in Cornwall, and prevent construction development over Cornish heritage sites, among many other things. As such, many Cornish residents find the prospect appealing of having decisions-making power returned to local authorities.
00:00-00:10 - PREVIEW: Independence for Cornwall?
00:10-01:22 - Welcome to Cornwall: The Celtic Nation Trapped in England
01:23-04:33 - Tension Between the Cornish & English
04:33-07:53 - The Cornish Nationalism Movement & Cornish Devolution
07:54-08:49 - Mebyon Kernow: The Cornish Nationalist Party
08:50-10:21 - How do you Achieve a Cornish Parliament?
10:21-11:43 - Cornwall: Final Thoughts
Could Cornwall be independent? Cornish independence might seem far off, but the Cornish nationalism movement is growing. In Truro, the capital of Cornwall (or Kernow, in the Cornish language), I spoke with Cornish nationalists pushing for Cornish devolution - a Cornish parliament, rather than the Cornwall Council - which some see as a step towards Cornish independence. They told me how Cornish people have been marginalised, from having the Cornish language neglected to the plague of second homes and holiday homes that is eroding Cornish identity and Cornish culture, and the controversy around “Devonwall”. I also spoke with a councillor from Mebyon Kernow, a Cornish political party that hopes to achieve a devolved parliament for Cornwall, instead of the Cornwall Council, which it has now.
You've probably heard of the four countries of the UK, but few know that Cornwall, currently administered as a county in southwest England, is also a Celtic nation. In a previous video, I travelled to Truro, Cornwall’s capital, to learn about the Cornish language, and Cornish culture and identity. But what about the challenges facing Cornwall? Merging Cornwall with Devon, to form Devonwall, threatens to further marginalise the Cornish community by diluting their voting power. Holiday homes leave towns half-empty during the off-season and price Cornish locals out of the housing market. Education is from an English perspective, and rarely acknowledges Cornwall’s unique history.
Tension between the Cornish and the English is nothing new, and has further ignited calls for Cornish devolution, similar to the situation in Wales, Scotland, and Northern Ireland. With devolved power, Cornwall would be able to protect it's indigenous Celtic language as it sees fit, regulate tourism to control the number of holiday homes in Cornwall, and prevent construction development over Cornish heritage sites, among many other things. As such, many Cornish residents find the prospect appealing of having decisions-making power returned to local authorities.
00:00-00:10 - PREVIEW: Independence for Cornwall?
00:10-01:22 - Welcome to Cornwall: The Celtic Nation Trapped in England
01:23-04:33 - Tension Between the Cornish & English
04:33-07:53 - The Cornish Nationalism Movement & Cornish Devolution
07:54-08:49 - Mebyon Kernow: The Cornish Nationalist Party
08:50-10:21 - How do you Achieve a Cornish Parliament?
10:21-11:43 - Cornwall: Final Thoughts
