Cornish people granted minority status within UK

The Cornish will gain the same status as the Scots, Welsh and Irish

Cornish people will be granted minority status under European rules for the protection of national minorities.

Chief Secretary to the Treasury Danny Alexander made the announcement on a visit to the county.

Dick Cole, leader of Mebyon Kernow, which campaigns for Cornish devolution, said: "This is a fantastic development. This is a proud day for Cornwall."

The Cornish will gain the same status as other Celtic communities the Scots, Welsh and Irish.

On a visit to Bodmin Mr Alexander said: "Cornish people have a proud history and a distinct identity.

"I am delighted that we have been able to officially recognise this and afford the Cornish people the same status as other minorities in the UK."

Mebyon Kernow leader Mr Cole said: "A lot of people have been working for many years to get Cornwall the recognition other Celtic people of the UK already receive.

"The detail is still to come out on what this might mean, but make no mistake that this is a proud day for Cornwall."

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Analysis Martyn Oates Political editor, South West

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The less than snappily-named Framework Convention for the Protection of National Minorities prohibits "any discrimination based on belonging to a national minority".

More specifically, states which have signed up to it have to undertake "appropriate measures" to protect people against "threats or acts of discrimination".

What this actually means in practice, though, is less clear.

The Convention also stipulates that national minorities should be protected from "assimilation".

What that might entail for Cornwall's complex and longstanding relationship with England, east of the Tamar also raises many interesting questions.

The Convention is nothing to do with the European Union but operates under the authority of the Council of Europe, an international organisation which promotes co-operation between European countries in areas like legal standards and human rights.

The European Court of Human rights - which enforces the European Convention on Human Rights - is the Council's best-known body.

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Bards from Gorsedh Kernow, which represents "the national Celtic spirit of Cornwall" welcomed the "historic announcement".

Grand Bard of Cornwall, Maureen Fuller, said: "Cornish people have a proud and distinct identity and a genuinely democratic society respects the ethnic, cultural and linguistic identity of people belonging to a national minority.

"We are proud of our history and our unique language and look forward to the day when these feature as regular subjects on school timetables and are spoken of by Cornish people as a way of life."

A group of key figures within Cornwall has been working on the paper setting out why the Cornish should be recognised by the Council of Europe's Framework Convention for the Protection of National Minorities.

Campaigner Bert Biscoe, an Independent councillor who is a member of the group, said: "I very much welcome that the Cornish as a group can stand equally beside all other groups in British society."

Cornwall Council leader John Pollard said: "There are obviously significant benefits for Cornwall in being included within the framework convention, which is worth celebrating, and I pay tribute to all those who have worked tirelessly over many years to achieve this status."

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Bards from Gorsedh Kernow welcomed the "historic announcement"

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He said national minority status would not initially bring any additional funding or powers to the council or to Cornwall.

However, it does mean that Cornish people will be afforded the same protections as the Welsh, Scottish and the Irish; with government departments and public bodies required to take Cornwall's views into account when making decisions.

Communities Minister Stephen Williams added: "This is a great day for the people of Cornwall who have long campaigned for the distinctiveness and identity of the Cornish people to be recognised officially.

"The Cornish and Welsh are the oldest peoples on this island and as a proud Welshman I look forward to seeing St Piran's Flag flying with extra Celtic pride on 5 March next year."

Three previous attempts to include the Cornish in the Framework Convention had been unsuccessful, with the last made in 2011.

In March this year, Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg announced the government would be investing £120,000 into the Cornish Language Partnership to promote and develop the language.