Cornwall resists mayor model in Burnham's devolution push

Andy Burnham's plan to extend devolution across England by electing regional mayors has run into resistance in Cornwall, where many locals and the county's Labour MP reject the idea of a single mayor for the Duchy.

The new Prime Minister wants to finish what Keir Starmer started and elect mayors across the country to give local areas more control over priorities like housing, transport and jobs. But half of England is still not represented by a mayor, and Cornwall is proving a difficult case.

Cornwall is almost 300 miles from Westminster, and many residents feel decisions should be made closer to home. In Redruth, locals complain of a lack of investment, with one saying the North is "so much better looked after" and that the town has been left with "hairdressers and tattoo parlours". In Falmouth, a young woman called Ruth says she will have to move away after college because there are few jobs and transport is poor. Second homes and holiday lets have also helped create a housing crisis.

The area has a rich mining history, and some businesses are working to bring mining back, partly to reduce reliance on imports of critical minerals from China. Burnham sees this as the kind of potential devolution can unlock.

But the political obstacle is the mayor. Perran Moon, the Labour MP for Cornwall, has set a red line: no mayor for Cornwall. He says it would be "politically and economically inappropriate" to have one mayor sitting alongside the council, and that he will not support it. He argues the Cornish people should not be penalised or deprived of devolution because of their identity.

Other MPs are more cautious. The MP for Truro and Falmouth says it is her duty to be pragmatic and wants the best for her constituents. She acknowledges Cornwall's national minority status and its distinct identity, but hopes ideology does not get in the way of improving the area.

The River Tamar separates Cornwall from the rest of England, and many locals are strongly opposed to any devolution deal that merges Cornwall with Devon. One resident said merging with Devon would "take back all the progress we've made over the last 20 years". Another said Cornwall does not need a mayor, though town mayors might be acceptable.

Burnham, once known as the King of the North, now faces the challenge of bringing his Manchester model to a place that is deeply sceptical of it. The question is whether he can deliver enough to change minds before the next election.