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The Cornish Republican is simply stating legal fact in calling Cornwall a Duchy. As the Duke of Cornwall has chosen to abdicate his constitutional responsibilities in favour of profit, then, as the Cornish Republican says in his blog, perhaps it's time to: "Give the constitutional powers and financial assets of the Duchy to the residents of Cornwall for them to dispose of as they see fit and then dissolve this feudal relic."

Mr Smith: 'I confess I sometimes feel hopelessly lost trying to navigate the narrower sidestreets of Cornish nationalism'.

That may be the most true thing you have yet written, Mr Smith.

So, where exactly is 'Graham Smith's Cornwall' ?

Where is the overgrown track to that cul de sac ?

Can it only be accessed via your presumptively and compulsively disorientated Anglo-Imperialist topsy-turvy imagination?

It's like the ole Monty python sketch,

Person 1 We’re the People’s Front of Judea.
Person 2 Oh. I thought we were the Popular Front.
Person 1 People’s Front! [scoffs]
Person 2 Whatever happened to the Popular Front, Reg?
Person 1 He’s over there.

Replace Judea with Cornish and it amounts to the same thing

He's over there, all along

All that is lacking is a charismatic voice to sell the extremes of Cornish politics; I quite fancy Sarah Palin and her comment about being able to see Putin from Alaska. Adds more value than many nationalists' comments and brightens the day.

Who needs perfect people?

I want imperfection and normal people not the Camerons and Cleggs of this world programmed from birth to be perfect, give me the clangers

Being a County is not good enough for some. They want a Republican Duchy,(a contradiction in terms, if ever there was one). They love that phrase "de jure", when talking about the Duchy. They will continue to talk about it and do absolutely nothing about it.

"I confess I sometimes feel hopelessly lost trying to navigate the narrower side-streets of Cornish nationalism"?

That makes it sound like Cornish nationalism has a "main road"? It doesn't. It does have some strange characters lurking in those "side-streets", however.

I have never heard a person up my local mention the Duchy or nationalism.

Rooney, X-factor and we even go as extreme as what the girls wear on strictly. Gone are the days of the Cornish liberation army headlining in the sun, people can blog whatever they want because we have free speech, something that really urks the nationalists who really want to rewrite history. Though I take the message and thank Graham for correcting me

No offence Jonathan I think I have more time for you than Phillip

Slimslad has a valid point are we not creating something which in truth are single people pretending to be a representative and does anyone really care about the Duchy powers or is everyone like me and considers it just an estate milking the land.

Does blogging and facebook improve our society or build up the self-image of a person wishing to play Nelson?

I believe most bloggers lack the charisma to bring real world changes or benefits to the greater majority, blogging has got easier but in the celebrity driven culture of 2010 where are the Cornish Boris Johnsons, where are the nationalists who inspire any other than disgust, I had some hope for a certain musician, but question that now.

Just having a message is not enough you must connect with the majority on a human level and no Cornish nationalist blogger is anywhere near increasing support

I really wish I had an answer

I think I know the musician you mean, Andrew Jacks. If all those really interested in an independent Cornwall, (or even a Cornish Assembly, like Wales), would get their heads together instead of acting like the various "Life of Brian Popular Fronts"? I would like to see these people working together.

Well not much I have to say here is there? Slimslad, Andrew Jacks and Peter Tregantle resort to childish put downs and attempted character assassination rather than engage in adult debate.

Thanks for that ;-)

Graham,

Thanks for promoting my blog. It's much appreciated.

Just one point though, you write: "the Cornish Republican blogger, Cornubian, would prefer Cornwall to be known as a Duchy, he has no time for the privately-owned landed estate known as the Duchy of Cornwall"

Cornwall IS a Duchy in a legal constitutional sense even if it is also run as an English county. The evidence is all there and even our Tory MP's are happy to state this now. I simply want the Duchy and Government to be honest about this.

A public inquiry into the Duchy should be held and then all its constitutional powers and various assets (including privately-owned landed estates) should be handed over to the residents of Cornwall for them to decide what to do with.

If, via a referendum, the Cornish public prefer to keep Cornwall a constitutional Duchy then so be it, that's democracy. I, however, would campaign for a republic within a federal UK/EU.

I hope that clears things up and do feel free to contact me if you want any details in the future.

"I, however, would campaign for a republic within a federal UK/EU."

Total fantasy, I'm afraid. Even Mebyon Kernow,"The Party for Cornwall" should be sued under the Trades Descriptions Act. If MK can't get more than 5% of any vote in Cornwall, what chance has any "Republican Party"?

I see the English nationalists are here in full force

Dtrerise I think you mean People’s Front of Duchy Kernow, otherwise known as "that guy over there", people do not have referendums to appease fringe movements, all the evidence as MK are fully aware is the support for Cornish nationalism is less than 1% and before you start about people considering themselves Cornish we do, just English with a Cornish culture

"I see the English nationalists are here in full force"?

Sorry to burst your "nationalist bubble",dtrerise, but the vast majority of Cornish people see Cornwall as a County of England. Don't take my word for it, look at the lack of support the nationalist cause gets from the people of Cornwall. I think all the talk of the Duchy and Stanneries is seen as just that, talk. At best, the people of Cornwall indulge these eccentrics. At worst, they totally ignore them.

The dread shown by those paranoid of the truth and counterpoint that Cornwall is just an English county makes me giggle, it does not matter how many times you say "this is kernow this kernow" and tap your shoes together the world around us remains England, an element of attempted brainwashing which is only going to work on the already converted

"Cornwall IS a Duchy in a legal constitutional sense even if it is also run as an English county."?

Then, Please,TheCornishDem, take the case to court and prove it, once and for all!
High Court, Supreme Court, International Court of Human Rights, whatever. Surely there are enough Republicans in Cornwall who could raise the money?
Or there must be a nationalist barrister who would do your de jure, pro bono? I would gladly give a fiver to start the ball rolling?

Surely there are enough Republicans in Cornwall who could raise the money?

Now I know you have never been to Cornwall

There you are wrong, Peter Tregantle.

This comment was removed because the moderators found it broke the house rules. Explain.

Only pulling your leg Slim and that of others who can not see a jest when it ridden into town by John Wayne. The nats have already been told once they can not have a commonwealth team and I have little doubt what the outcome would be if they asked again. For the record I believe the Barrister is still in full time education in England, hope that explains your pro bono comment he needs the money.

What the nats fail to understand is we have a lot of legislation on the books which is no longer in use, the vast majority consider the Duchy a private estate not a conservatory to the crown, even if it was it is clearly no longer used like that and the queen lords down on us and our judiciary in Cornwall

No problem Graham.

To be honest I have no idea of the real influence the Duchy exerts on the running of Kernow, but I do have and idea of what power it has on paper.

For example ss you may know the Duke is the owner of last resort concerning land for the whole of Cornwall. The Monarch has this role in Scotland, England and Wales.

Whether freehold or leasehold at the end of the day all land is eventually -held- from the Duke as sovereign of Cornwall. This power I would give to the people via an elected Cornish government.

As for the "narrower side streets of Cornish nationalism" I think you'll find they are airy and well lit compared to the foetid marshes and break neck passes of the London parties.

Little point doing politics if the message you have is deemed vulgar by the greater majority, feel free to attack the public for waiving the national flag at the world cup but do not be surprised when support drops. TheCornishDem the recent national election suggests the Nat streets are growing very narrow due to these attacks on national pride. Phil Vickery one of the greatest Cornish sportsman of recent times and proud of his culture must feel sick to the bone to wear and captain the butchers apron. Somehow I think not, the vast majority in Cornwall simply do not think like you, change the message and stop the radicals making you all look like fools and make the message something people can support, because the nats are the only ones who are anti-Cornish and making all Cornish people look like fools

It is a valid comment to say many nationalists do more destruction than good, whatever your view of the Duchy it offers little as the monarch has the final say, the Duchy land is delegated not signed over to another company. I am sure many nationalist are more like my parents and wish to preserve the landscape, community and culture of Cornwall rather than have a independent state which could never financially survive away from England and that for me is the bottom line