The Western Morning News has today covered MK’s challenge to
Cornish MPs to resign from their respective Coalition parties over the “Pasty
Tax” and other policies that are damaging Cornwall.
Helpfully, the newspaper shows that only a miniscule 15 coalition
backbenchers – ten Tories and five Lib Dems – voted against the “Pasty Tax.”
Liberal Democrat Andrew George, described as a member of MK
“in the 80s when it was possible to also be a member of other political
parties" is reported as saying: "People have moved from parties
before but it is not going to happen over this issue. I would prefer to make
this a cross-party issue rather than flinging around accusations – this is
unhelpful, silly politics and diverts us from standing shoulder to shoulder."
He is also reported as saying local MPs would "have
another crack" at reversing the tax as the Bill moved through the
committee stages.
I would like to point out three things.
1. When Andrew George was a member of MK in the 1980s, you could
not also be a member of another political party. MK member stopped being a
pressure group in the early 1970s when it became a fully-fledged political
party.
2. Last year, Cornish MPs spoke out against the creation of
a Devonwall parliamentary constituency. Their party colleagues outside of Cornwall
refused to support the campaign and then the majority of the Cornish MPs (five
out of six) voted through the actual legislation. Will they do the same
on the “Pasty Tax”?
3. In the spirit of Andrew's commitment to this being a
"cross-party issue," will he condemn the actions of Lib Dems in
the Truro area for their actions in
the recent Boscawen by-election?
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