MPs asked in Commons to give Cornish same status as Welsh
An MP has called on the House of Commons to give the Cornish language Kernewek equal status to other Celtic languages.Labour MP for South East Cornwall Anna Gelderd delivered her bid to bring in a Cornish Language and Heritage bill in the Commons on Wednesday, which would give Kernewek the same protected status as Breton, Irish, Scottish Gaelic and Welsh.Ms Gelderd's Ten Minute Rule Bill, which allows MPs to make a case for a new bill, is backed by Cornwall's five other MPs and wants to see Kernewek taught in all local primary schools and used on road signs, place names and public services.She told MPs a bill would help preserve the language and protect the cultural identity of Cornwall.
The Cornish language was officially recognised as a regional language by the UK government in 2002 under part 2 of the European charter for regional or minority languages.According to the Local Democracy Reporting Service, the bill would see it given part 3 status alongside the other Celtic languages.Ms Gelderd said her bill would strengthen the UK's commitment to linguistic diversity."A GCSE in Cornish once existed, but was discontinued in 1996," she said.She added learning Cornish must be a "viable, accessible option" for people wanting to "engage with their cultural heritage".She told the Commons that beyond schools, there must be provision to provide lifelong learning opportunities. "At present, hundreds of people sign up for Kernewek classes each year, and universities such as Exeter and Cambridge have previously offered Kernewek courses," she said."If Welsh and Gaelic can be successfully integrated into higher education, why not Cornish?"
Kernewek visibility 'crucial'
Ms Gelderd said Cornish visibility in public life was crucial for the language to survive. "Currently, Cornish does not have official status in Cornwall, nor is there any legislative requirement for its promotion," she said. "However, Cornwall Council has worked hard since 2013 to implement a strategy promoting the language. "I want to see this work and local efforts strengthened by increasing the use of Cornish in road signs, place names and public services."She said supporting Cornish in public life was not about excluding English but about embracing bilingualism "as a strength".Supported by fellow Cornish MPs Jayne Kirkham, Noah Law, Perran Moon, Andrew George and Ben Maguire, Ms Gelderd's bill will be read a second time on 20 June.
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Asked if, were the law to change, he would be content to help someone who had chosen assisted dying at the end of their life, he said: 'Absolutely, if I know the patient, I know what their wishes are, I see them suffering, and there's nothing more I can do to help their suffering then, absolutely, I would hold their hand and help them achieve what they want to achieve.' Some of the Bill's opponents have urged MPs to focus on improving end-of-life care rather than legislating for assisted dying. But Dr Jones said his mother, who was a nurse and died 'suffering unnecessarily' despite the 'best possible palliative care' would be 'proud of me speaking on this subject now, in the way I am'. He told of his respect for people's 'religious beliefs, cultural beliefs and personal feelings' in being opposed to assisted dying but insisted it should be an area of choice. He said: 'The bottom line is that I think it's the patient's individual choice. I think we should respect the right of the individual to choose what they want. 'This is not a mandatory thing. This is not being imposed on anybody. 'And I think people should have the individual right to make a decision about how they end their life if they've got a terminal illness where there's no prospect of cure and they're suffering and they fear an undignified death.' Asked about the prospect of the Bill being voted down by MPs, Dr Jones said: 'We would be back to square one, back to the Dark Ages, in my opinion, medically, and that would be a shame. 'I don't think we would be advancing medicine if the Bill is not passed.' Our Duty Of Care, a group of healthcare professionals campaigning against a change in the law, said the question must be whether someone is making a 'true choice' if they apply for assisted dying. Dr Gillian Wright, a spokesperson for the group, said: 'If someone has not had access to palliative care, psychological support or social care, then are they making a true choice?' 'At a time when the NHS is on its knees, when palliative are social care are struggling and our amazing hospices are having to close beds and cut services because of lack of money, as someone who has cared for people at the end of life, I would urge MPs to vote against this Bill but instead invest in excellent specialist palliative care, social care and psychological support.'
