CELEBRATE CORNISHNESS ALL YEAR ROUND

The leader of the Mebyon Kernow the Nationalist Party of Cornwall has used the annual St. Piran's day (March 5th) celebrations to call on Cornish people to have pride in their Cornishness all year round. Councillor Dick Cole said: "We are seeing, year on year, a fantastic growth in the number of events staged to

The leader of the Mebyon Kernow the Nationalist Party of Cornwall has used the annual St. Piran's day (March 5th) celebrations to call on Cornish people to have pride in their Cornishness all year round. Councillor Dick Cole said: "We are seeing, year on year, a fantastic growth in the number of events staged to remember St. Piran. Our national saint's day has become a great celebration of Cornwall, of all things Cornish and it is something to be really proud of. Let us all use St. Piran's Day to express and display our Cornishness

• whether it is by joining the traditional processions, flying St.

Piran's flag, wearing the black and gold or speaking Cornish. But at the same time as we celebrate Cornwall on March 5th, let us commit ourselves to campaigning for a better deal for Cornwall - ALL YEAR ROUND. There is much to concern us at this time. Cornwall's GDP has fallen to only 59.1% of the EU average and local people cannot even afford houses in their own communities. Central government continues to take political power from our councils and to deny us the opportunity to vote for our own Assembly in a referendum." Councillor Cole's final point is a reference to the continuing obstruction by the Westminster government of Cornish aspirations to enjoy devolved status similar to that enjoyed in other Celtic countries. J B Moffatt Secretary General Celtic League