Editing Mebyon Kernow (section)

==Ideology and policies==
MK is an advocate of [[Cornish nationalism]], seeing Cornwall as a separate nation rather than an English [[Counties of England|county]]. It emphasises Cornwall's distinct [[Celtic nations|Celtic]] culture and [[Cornish language|language]], as well as its border along the [[River Tamar]], which has largely remained unchanged since 936 AD.<ref name=":4" /><ref name=":9">{{Cite web|url=https://publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm200506/cmselect/cmodpm/977/977we20.htm|title=Memorandum by the National Executive Committee of Mebyon Kernow, the Party for Cornwall (RG 17)|date=15 March 2006|website=publications.parliament.uk|access-date=4 July 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231019225734/https://publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm200506/cmselect/cmodpm/977/977we20.htm|archive-date=19 October 2023}}</ref> The party's leaders identify as both Cornish and British but Cornish first.<ref name=":1" /> It rejects that Cornwall is a region of the United Kingdom or a county of England, preferring the label of 'duchy'.<ref name=":9" /> It advocates a National Curriculum for Cornwall, increased investment in the Cornish language, and a full inquiry into Cornwall's constitutional relationship with the United Kingdom.<ref name=":10">{{Cite web|url=http://www.politicsresources.net/area/uk/ge10/man/parties/Mebyonkernow.pdf|title=Key Campaign Priorities May 2010 – Mebyon Kernow|date=May 2010|website=politicsresources.net|access-date=4 July 2018|archive-date=10 April 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180410124400/http://www.politicsresources.net/area/uk/ge10/man/parties/Mebyonkernow.pdf|url-status=live}}</ref>

The party advocates the establishment of a "fully devolved, democratically elected" [[Cornish Assembly|Cornish National Assembly]], established by "a dedicated, stand-alone, bespoke Act of Parliament."<ref name=":9" /><ref name=":10" /> This would be complemented by a Cornish Civil Service.<ref name=":10" /> It accuses the civil service and government of "deep-seated prejudice" against Cornwall.<ref name=":9" /> as part of their devolution commitments, MK seek devolved powers over health services establishing a “Cornish NHS”.<ref name=":17">{{Cite web |title=Pledges |url=https://mebyonkernow.org/pledges/ |access-date=2024-03-08 |website=Mebyon Kernow – The Party for Cornwall |language=en-GB |archive-date=8 March 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240308122736/https://mebyonkernow.org/pledges/ |url-status=live }}</ref>

On economic policy, MK is [[Centre-left politics|left-of-centre]].<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.plmr.co.uk/blog/comments/mebyon-kernow-the-cornish-ukip|title=Mebyon Kernow – The Cornish UKIP?|last=Hollow|first=Nathan|date=5 March 2013|work=plmr.co.uk|access-date=26 June 2018|archive-date=26 June 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180626135845/https://www.plmr.co.uk/blog/comments/mebyon-kernow-the-cornish-ukip|url-status=live}}</ref> It rejects "austerity politics, deregulation and support for trade treaties such as [[Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership|TTIP]]."<ref name=":7">{{Cite web|url=https://www.mebyonkernow.org/articles/article.php?id=102|title=Kernow and the European Union|last=Curry|first=Edward|date=5 April 2016|website=www.mebyonkernow.org|access-date=26 June 2018|archive-date=20 September 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170920044911/https://www.mebyonkernow.org/articles/article.php?id=102|url-status=dead}}</ref> It is committed against poverty and social deprivation; it advocates free and equal access to education, health and welfare services. It advocates tackling tax avoidance.<ref name=":10" /> It opposes the privatisation of the NHS and would renationalise railways and utilities.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://electionleaflets.org/leaflets/11536/|title=Mebyon Kernow – The Party for Cornwall leaflet|date=29 April 2015|website=ElectionLeaflets.org|access-date=4 July 2018|archive-date=4 July 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180704123519/https://electionleaflets.org/leaflets/11536/|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://electionleaflets.org/leaflets/9019/|title=Mebyon Kernow – The Party for Cornwall leaflet|date=25 March 2015|website=ElectionLeaflets.org|access-date=4 July 2018|archive-date=4 July 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180704152927/https://electionleaflets.org/leaflets/9019/|url-status=live}}</ref> The party regularly highlights problems with the [[Economy of Cornwall|Cornish economy]]: Cornwall has lower wages and higher unemployment than the rest of the United Kingdom.<ref name=":10" /><ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.independent.co.uk/voices/day-two-liskeard-to-penzance-the-traveller-enters-a-lost-kingdom-1244049.html |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20220512/https://www.independent.co.uk/voices/day-two-liskeard-to-penzance-the-traveller-enters-a-lost-kingdom-1244049.html |archive-date=12 May 2022 |url-access=subscription |url-status=live|title=Day Two Liskeard to Penzance: The traveller enters a lost kingdom|last=Vallely|first=Paul|date=6 August 1997|work=[[The Independent]]|access-date=28 June 2018|language=en-GB}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.theguardian.com/society/2001/jan/12/localgovernment.devolution|title=Cornwall wants to go it alone|last=Parker|first=Simon|date=12 January 2001|website=[[The Guardian]]|language=en|access-date=28 June 2018}}</ref>

The party is environmentalist, advocating strong environmental safeguards and a "Green New Deal for Cornwall" aimed at creating jobs in the environmental sectors. It is pushing for a zero-waste strategy, which they believe will lead to "radical reduction of waste". It supports increasing planning restrictions to reverse the building of second homes in Cornwall, As well as a commitment to lower "more sustainable" housing building targets.<ref name=":17" /> It would scrap the [[Trident (UK nuclear programme)|Trident]] nuclear programme. It supports debt forgiveness for third world countries and supports the UN target of committing 0.7% of the UK's GDP as foreign aid.<ref name=":10" />

The party would introduce proportional representation to UK elections through the [[Single transferable vote|Single Transferable Vote]] and would abolish the [[House of Lords]].<ref name=":10" />

MK supported the UK's membership of the European Union.<ref name=":6" /><ref name=":7" /> It endorsed a [[People's Vote|referendum]] on the [[Brexit negotiations|final Brexit deal]].<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://twitter.com/MebyonKernow/status/1063762635550789635|title=Mebyon Kernow on Twitter|date=17 November 2018|work=Twitter|access-date=25 November 2018|language=en|archive-date=14 May 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220514124034/https://twitter.com/MebyonKernow/status/1063762635550789635|url-status=live}}</ref>

Cornwall is part of the [[Regional Assemblies in England|South West Regional Assembly]] and the [[South West of England Regional Development Agency|South West Regional Development Agency]] (SWRDA) administrates economic development, housing and strategic planning. MK claims that the area covered is an artificially imposed large region and not natural.<ref>[http://www.mebyonkernow.org/ Mebyon Kernow opposes SWRA] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230411082457/http://www.mebyonkernow.org/ |date=11 April 2023 }}. Mebyonkernow.org.</ref><ref>[http://www.mebyonkernow.org/?q=policies_economy Mebyon Kernow says Cornwall needs its own Development Agency] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110607201539/http://www.mebyonkernow.org/?q=policies_economy |date=7 June 2011 }}. Mebyonkernow.org.</ref> Mebyon Kernow wants to break up the SWRDA into small county areas and implement a Cornish Regional Development Agency.{{Citation needed|date=June 2018}}

The party supports making [[Saint Piran]]'s day, the day of Cornwall's patron saint, which falls on 5 March, a public holiday.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.cornwalllive.com/labour-to-create-four-new-bank-holidays-for-the-nation-s-patron-saints-but-not-the-cornish-one/story-30288363-detail/story.html|title=We could get four extra bank holidays if Labour get in power|date=23 April 2017}}{{Dead link|date=May 2024 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref> It also advocates the establishment of a Cornish University.<ref name=":11" /><ref name=":10" /><ref>{{Cite web |last=Office |first=Press |date=2024-03-05 |title=Happy St Piran's Day |url=https://mebyonkernow.org/news/happy-st-pirans-day-2/ |access-date=2024-03-08 |website=Mebyon Kernow – The Party for Cornwall |language=en-GB |archive-date=8 March 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240308122736/https://mebyonkernow.org/news/happy-st-pirans-day-2/ |url-status=live }}</ref>

The party has resisted proposals to reduce the number of councillors in Cornwall.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2017/dec/26/westminster-failings-fuelling-cornish-crisis-of-democracy|title=Westminster failings fuelling Cornish 'crisis of democracy'|last=Morris|first=Steven|date=26 December 2017|website=[[The Guardian]]|language=en|access-date=26 June 2018}}</ref>

Mebyon Kernow is a member of the [[European Free Alliance]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.e-f-a.org/whos-who/member-parties/|title=Member parties|year=2013|publisher=[[European Free Alliance]]|access-date=17 October 2014|archive-date=21 September 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140921195518/http://www.e-f-a.org/whos-who/member-parties/|url-status=live}}</ref> The party has close links with [[Plaid Cymru]], with Plaid's [[Blaenau Gwent]] branch being 'twinned' with Mebyon Kernow's [[Falmouth and Camborne (UK Parliament constituency)|Falmouth and Camborne]] branch.<ref name=BBC2000>{{Cite web|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/wales/615798.stm|title=BBC News {{!}} WALES {{!}} Celtic cousins' Cornish campaign|date=24 January 2000|website=news.bbc.co.uk|access-date=4 July 2018}}</ref>

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