Cornish Campaigners have reacted with delight at the defeat of Theresa May’s withdrawal agreement.
On Tuesday 12th March they held a number of street stalls throughout Cornwall campaigning for Cornwall and the country to remain as members of the EU. Stalls were held in Penzance, Camborne, Truro and Newquay. ‘Despite the appalling weather this morning we were met with our usual friendly welcome by most people’ said Howard Farmer, one of the Cornwall for Europe organisers. ‘Most people think they will be worse off under Brexit and also believe Article 50 should be delayed. They were hoping that Mrs May would be defeated and cannot understand what is going on up in London. We share their delight at the outcome tonight.’
The campaigners were also selling the last few tickets for coaches to the demonstration in London on 23rd March. ‘ We’ve nearly filled 4 coaches and hundreds of others are finding their own way from Cornwall to join the massive national demonstration calling for a People’s Vote.’ said Emmanuelle Brook, Cornwall for Europe Chair. ‘In October we joined over 700,000 others and this time we know that three times as many people as then will be getting to London. There is a huge groundswell of opinion that Parliament has failed and it should be put back to the people to decide.’
In only a few months Cornwall for Europe has built up a membership and social media following that rivals any of the political parties in Cornwall. ‘We are not a political party but an all party campaign that focuses on the benefits of Cornwall being a member of the EU’ said Tom Scott, who runs the CfE Facebook and Twitter accounts. ‘The EU regional economic policy has recognised that areas like Cornwall need help to develop properly – Falmouth University, the Eden Project, Newquay Airport and many other projects have benefited from EU grants, as well as hundreds of Village and Community halls throughout Cornwall. The Government has failed to give any guarantee over the future for this help. Instead they have announced help for some northern towns with only a very small allowance for Cornwall.’
Cornwall for Europe is increasing its campaigning in the weeks ahead and laying down plans for the possibility of a new Referendum. ‘Last time we don’t think there was a positive message about us being in Europe – we left it mostly to the national campaigners with a message that didn’t get through. We now believe that we are getting the message across that Cornwall is better off in Europe and that Cornwall is changing her mind’ says Charles Boney, CfE Press Officer.
