St Ives MP Andrew George has thanked prime minister Andy Burnham for a Commons answer responding positively to Cornwall’s case for ‘meaningful devolution’.
During yesterday’s questions session after his first Parliamentary statement as prime minister, Mr Burnham said the offer of devising a bespoke devolution settlement for Cornwall was a genuine one.
Mr George said in the Commons: “There are Celtic regions and nations like Cornwall that actually do require a bespoke settlement, and indeed I know we’re going to be having a discussion in No 10 North on this matter, and I wanted to say that I welcome the opportunity.”
The prime minister went on to express interest in some sort of tourist tax for the Duchy. “Bear in mind many of us will have been on summer holidays when we spend a few Euros extra to recognise the benefit we get from using services in a local area. If that was extended as part of the devolution deal, I think it could be quite transformational for Cornwall, because it can open up a new revenue stream and start to address that infrastructure.”
He added: “Now, that would be a choice for Cornwall, but I do want to consider a devolution deal that gives real levers that can help Cornwall and other rural areas start to improve their services. It might provide the revenue to sustain bus services, for instance.
“It’s about fairness. I don’t think residents – we heard about the unfairness of council tax – it can’t be right to make the residents pay for all of the services when the visitors should make a fair contribution as well. We pay it elsewhere as British tourists. I don’t see why visitors to Cornwall shouldn’t pay a little extra.
“But that’s the kind of discussion we need to have. It’s not a fluffy discussion, it’s a real discussion about what can be done to move Cornwall forward and I am ready to do it, and maybe make this a template for other rural area across England.”
