Matthew joined his Cornish ‘brothers’ to celebrate St Piran’s Day in the Houses of Parliament. Attending a reception held by Dan Rogerson, the Cornish MP who represents the seat where Matthew grew up, the Hendon MP was pleased to sample the Cornish fayre on offer, including Cornish ales and the famous Cornish pasty.
Launched on the same day was the Cornish National Minority Report 2. This is a publication that is again seeking to persuade the Government to recognise the Cornish as a national minority under the terms of the European Framework Convention for the Protection of National Minorities. The Labour Government had previously turned this down but the Cornish people could now be given special cultural and heritage status.
Matthew said “I am very keen that everybody celebrates their history and culture and celebrating St Piran’s Day showcases Cornwall’s unique heritage. Having completed my PhD research on local governance and economic development in Cornwall I am well aware of the difficulty in expanding the economy. Cultural recognition of the county's people will boost tourism which will go a long way to helping improve the economy.”
Photo: Matthew is pictured with Cllr Bert Biscoe (Cornwall Council), Will Coleman from the FEAST organisation and Sheryll Murray MP for South East Cornwall