Editing Mebyon Kernow (section)

====2009 election====
In April 2009 MK leader Dick Cole announced his resignation from his job as an [[archaeologist]] with the new [[Cornwall Council]] to become the full-time leader of Mebyon Kernow and to stand for election to the Council. He had previously worked for [[Cornwall County Council]] for 14 years, but it is not permitted for employees of Councils to stand for election to a council they work for.<ref>[http://mebyonkernow.blogspot.com/ Dick Cole to become full time leader of Mebyon Kernow] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100208035546/http://mebyonkernow.blogspot.com/ |date=8 February 2010 }}. Mebyonkernow.blogspot.com.</ref>

On 12 May 2009, Dick Cole announced that thirty-three candidates would be standing for the party at the [[2009 Cornwall Council election|Cornwall Council elections]] on 4 June 2009.<ref>[http://mebyonkernow.blogspot.com/ MK Cornwall Council candidates 2009] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100208035546/http://mebyonkernow.blogspot.com/ |date=8 February 2010 }}. Mebyonkernow.blogspot.com.</ref> This was the largest number of candidates that the party had ever fielded in a round of elections to a [[principal council]] or councils. Under the new arrangements, 123 members were to be elected to the new [[unitary authority|unitary]] Cornwall Council, in the place of the 82 councillors on the outgoing Cornwall County Council and another 249 on the six district councils within its area, all abolished.<ref>[http://www.cornwall.gov.uk/default.aspx?page=17444 Cornwall Council June 2009 Electoral divisions] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090725150141/http://www.cornwall.gov.uk/default.aspx?page=17444 |date=25 July 2009 }}. Cornwall.gov.uk.</ref>

Having contested thirty-three of the 123 seats on the authority, Mebyon Kernow won three, or 2.4 per cent of the total. Andrew Long was elected to represent [[Callington, Cornwall|Callington]] with 54% of the votes.<ref>[http://democracy.cornwall.gov.uk/mgElectionAreaResults.aspx?ID=9&RPID=692853 Election results for Callington] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181116025945/https://democracy.cornwall.gov.uk/mgElectionAreaResults.aspx?ID=9&RPID=692853 |date=16 November 2018 }}. Democracy.cornwall.gov.uk (4 June 2009).</ref> Stuart Cullimore was elected to represent [[Camborne]] South with 28% of the votes<ref>[http://democracy.cornwall.gov.uk/mgElectionAreaResults.aspx?ID=12&RPID=692079 Election results for Camborne South] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231013141818/https://democracy.cornwall.gov.uk/mgElectionAreaResults.aspx?ID=12&RPID=692079 |date=13 October 2023 }}#</ref> and Dick Cole was elected to represent [[St Enoder]] with 78% of the votes<ref>[http://democracy.cornwall.gov.uk/mgElectionAreaResults.aspx?ID=98&RPID=693218 Election results for St Enoder] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181116022807/https://democracy.cornwall.gov.uk/mgElectionAreaResults.aspx?ID=98&RPID=693218 |date=16 November 2018 }}. Democracy.cornwall.gov.uk (4 June 2009).</ref>