A meeting with Natalie Bennett, Leader of the Green Party

Last week, I was very pleased to meet Natalie Bennett (above right), the leader of the Green Party, when she was visiting Cornwall as part of the Green’s European election campaign. It was also nice to reacquaint myself with Emily McIvor (above left), one of the Green Party’s candidates for the European Parliament, who I have campaigned with in the past.

I found Natalie to be warm and very genuine, and we certainly discussed a wide range of social, economic and environmental issues, including the need for democratic reform and the devolution of political power to Cornwall.

I am particularly pleased that she used her visit to reaffirm the Green Party’s commitment to a Cornish Assembly by backing MK’s latest petition campaign, which calls for central government to work with the people of Cornwall to work up detailed plans for a Cornish Assembly which could be put to the electorate in a binding referendum.

In the press release that they have just circulated, Natalie Bennett said:

“The Green Party is committed to the devolution of power, so that decisions get taken at the most appropriate local level.  It's for the people of Cornwall to decide in a referendum how much power they want to take back from Westminster.

“We are impressed with the collaborative approach Mebyon Kernow has taken in inviting people to join a consultation on the form an Assembly might take. They have set out their views on how an Assembly for Cornwall might work, but are also asking people to think about what they want. Our local parties in Cornwall will be taking part in the process and we urge everyone who cares about democracy to do the same.”