Devonwall (possible UK Parliament constituency)

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The current (as of 2024) parliamentary constituencies in Cornwall CornwallConstituencies2010.gif
The current (as of 2024) parliamentary constituencies in Cornwall

Devonwall is a jocular name used [1] in 2010 for a possible constituency that would combine parts of Devon and Cornwall and would be represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom.

Contents

The likely need for such a constituency to be created arose from the major 2013 Review of constituencies in England, instigated by the coalition government's legislation requiring constituencies to be within 5% of a given size. [2] The portmanteau name is the same as that used for a previous proposal first introduced in the 1970s to combine Cornwall and Devon together in an economic, political and statistical sense to form a South West region.

In a nationwide study into the 2013 Review, the research group Democratic Audit considered the South West England review area, and published an idea of how the redrawn map might look. In that model the resulting cross-border constituency was called "Torridge and Tintagel". [3] [4] The Boundary Commission for England published its actual initial proposals on 13 September 2011, proposing a cross-border constituency as "Bude and Bideford", [5] which was amended in October 2012 as "Bideford, Bude and Launceston". [6]

Background

The Parliamentary Voting System and Constituencies Act 2011 proposed changes to the boundaries and number of UK constituencies, requiring that the electorate of each constituency must be within 5 percent of the national average. [2] An amendment to the bill by Lord Teverson that would have ensured that "all parts of Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly must be included in constituencies that are wholly in Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly" was defeated by 250 to 221 votes in the House of Lords. [7]

Opposition

The proposal met opposition in both Devon and Cornwall. [8] There was strong cross party opposition to the bill in Cornwall due to some people[ who? ] believing the Cornish border would "not be respected"[ vague ] when the new constituency boundaries are drawn up. Commenting on this, Prime Minister David Cameron said "It's the Tamar, not the Amazon, for Heaven's sake", [9] referring to the fact that the River Tamar currently forms most of the border between Cornwall and Devon. Alison Seabeck, a Labour MP for Plymouth Moor View, said that "This is a very contentious subject, and I think Mr Cameron owes the public an explanation. This is a very sensitive issue." [10] However, Mark Harper, junior minister for Political and Constitutional Reform, pointed out that the two counties already shared a police force, and an MEP, so an MP across the Tamar River divide is not "impossible". [11]

Around 500 people gathered at a rally in Saltash in October 2010 organised by its mayor, Adam Killeya, who said of the border that it was "ancient and distinctive" and claimed most people wanted to continue with that status. [12] [ failed verification ] Guest speakers included Sheryll Murray, Conservative MP for South East Cornwall; Steve Gilbert, Liberal Democrat MP for St Austell and Newquay; Trevor Colman, UKIP MEP for South West England; and Mebyon Kernow councillor and deputy leader Andrew Long. At the rally Steve Gilbert said that "This is Cornwall and over there, that's England. When David Cameron said this is not the Amazon he was right... it's much more important."[ citation needed ] On the same day the Cornish and Celtic campaigner Michael Chappell announced that he was prepared to go on hunger strike over the boundary issue. [13]

In 2017, the Devonwall merger was proposed a third time, and would have seen parts of Devon and Cornwall sharing a single constituency. The proposal was again met with opposition in Devon and Cornwall, [8] [14] including from Geoffrey Cox, the then-MP for Torridge and West Devon (now Torridge and Tavistock). [14] The plans were scrapped in 2020. [15] [8]

See also

Related Research Articles

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Devon is a ceremonial county in South West England. It is bordered by the Bristol Channel to the north, Somerset and Dorset to the east, the English Channel to the south, and Cornwall to the west. The city of Plymouth is the largest settlement, and the city of Exeter is the county town.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bideford</span> Town in Devon, England

Bideford is a historic port town on the estuary of the River Torridge in north Devon, South West England. It is the main town of the Torridge local government district.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">River Tamar</span> River in southwest England

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Torridge and West Devon (UK Parliament constituency)</span> Parliamentary constituency in the United Kingdom, 1983–2024

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Holsworthy</span> Town in Devon, England

Holsworthy is a market town and civil parish in the Torridge district of Devon, England, 36 miles (58 km) west of Exeter. The River Deer, a tributary of the River Tamar, forms the western boundary of the parish, which includes the village of Brandis Corner. According to the 2011 census the population of Holsworthy was 2,641, growing to an estimated 3,287 in 2019.

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Devonwall</span> Proposed region of England

Devonwall is one name given to various proposals to link or combine the counties of Cornwall and Devon together in whole or in part. The name was initially used to describe political concept introduced in the United Kingdom in the 1970s by the Conservative government. It was an attempt to link the two counties together in an economic, political and statistical sense to form a South West region. This involved combining and centralising some local government functions and services such as the police, ambulance, fire services, as well as media output such as local TV and newspapers.

The region of South West England is divided into 58 parliamentary constituencies, which are made up of 16 borough constituencies and 42 county constituencies. Since the general election of July 2024, 24 are represented by Labour MPs, 22 by Liberal Democrat MPs, 11 by Conservative MPs, and 1 by a Green MP.

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Holsworthy railway station</span> Former railway station in Devon, England

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Parliamentary Voting System and Constituencies Act 2011</span> United Kingdom legislation

The Parliamentary Voting System and Constituencies Act 2011(c. 1) is an Act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom that made provision for the holding of a referendum on whether to introduce the Alternative Vote system in all future general elections to the UK Parliament and also made provision on the number and size of parliamentary constituencies. The Bill for the Act was introduced to the House of Commons on 22 July 2010 and passed third reading on 2 November by 321 votes to 264. The House of Lords passed the Bill, with amendments, on 14 February 2011, and after some compromises between the two Houses on amendments, it received Royal Assent on 16 February 2011.

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References

  1. Khan, Sadiq (2 November 2010). "House of Commons Hansard Debates for 02 Nov 2010 (pt 0004)". Hansard. p. 868. Retrieved 7 May 2011.
  2. 1 2 "Constituency changes will prove 'chaotic', report says". BBC News – UK. 15 January 2011. Retrieved 7 May 2011.
  3. The UK's New Political Map
  4. Boundary change will "destroy LibDem vote" Archived 14 June 2012 at the Wayback Machine Cornwall24
  5. Current Review – South West Archived 30 August 2011 at the Wayback Machine Boundary Commission for England
  6. Proposed map = Bideford, Bude and Launceston Archived 29 October 2012 at the Wayback Machine Boundary Commission for England
  7. "'Devonwall' option a step closer after Lords vote". BBC News – England. 9 February 2011. Retrieved 7 May 2011.
  8. 1 2 3 Becquart, Charlotte (24 May 2020). "The rise and fall of the controversial would-be 'Devonwall' MP". Cornwall Live. Retrieved 3 October 2024.
  9. Hutchison, Peter (6 October 2010). "David Cameron angers Cornwall with Tamar comment". The Daily Telegraph. Retrieved 7 May 2011.
  10. "David Cameron faces a storm of criticism after seemingly dismissing local concerns about a "Devonwall" constituency by joking: "It's the Tamar, not the Amazon, for Heaven's sake."". Archived from the original on 7 October 2010. Retrieved 26 April 2011.
  11. Demianyk, Graeme (12 January 2011). "Last ditch bid to beat ' devonwall ' snubbed". Western Morning News . Plymouth. Retrieved 7 May 2011. (subscription required)
  12. Morris, Steven (5 October 2010). "Cornwall activists to protest against creation of 'Devonwall' constituency". The Guardian. Retrieved 7 May 2011.
  13. "Mike Chappell quits hunger strike". BBC News. Retrieved 22 October 2010.
  14. 1 2 Bulmer, Joe (17 October 2017). "Devonwall constituency proposed for third time despite opposition". Devon Live. Retrieved 3 October 2024.
  15. "'Devonwall' parliamentary constituency proposal scrapped". BBC News. 25 March 2020. Retrieved 3 October 2024.