After BREXIT will rivers in Cornwall run red?

Cornwall as one of the six Celtic nations has a shared experience with Wales and Scotland of being consumed as a constitute part of a larger nation. The neglect of these regions by successive Westminster Governments is not a new thing but support for cultural identities to re-emerge has been thanks to the European Union. For over 40 years EU Funding has supported creative and cultural organisations in each celtic nation and since the early 1990’s Cornwall itself benefited from over £1Billion of EU Grants to counter the decline of traditional industries. With the Cornish language awarded protection under the European Charter for Regional and Minority Languages in 2002 and recognition of Cornish as a national minority by the Council of Europe under the Framework Convention for the Protection of National Minorities — its little wonder that Cornish people, alongside the Welsh and Scottish are often said to consider the Europe Union more favourably than the English (European Commission, 2007). Indeed, with EU funding helping to sustain Cornish language and cultural identity it goes some way towards reparations for the destruction of Glasney and Crantock colleges by Henry VIII and the centuries of cultural genocide.

Whilst Westminster politicians remain London centric awarding a disproportionate amount of infra-structure spending to London (11.4 times more than the south west £4952 per head compared to £433) some may consider it unwise to question the EU hand that feeds you. Especially since EU legislation has forced the Westminster government to clear up our beaches and helped the red rivers of Godrevy and Reskadinnick, tainted by mineral deposits (predominantly) run clear. Yet on Thursday, 56.52 per cent of Cornwall did vote to leave the European Union and Cornwall Council leaders, possibly of the 43.48% are understandably concerned about funding that has already been allocated being withdrawn.

What are Cornish lads (& maids) to do?

“Cornish lads are fisherman and Cornish lads are miners too, but when all the fish and tin are gone, what are Cornish lads to do?”

Well, Cornwall has certainly been here before, but its not as if the Cornish are against trading with the world. Cornish tin production is one of Britain’s oldest industries and the remnants of Roman trade posts near Bodmin and St Erth can attest to that. The message is really of sustainability.

The environment is often relegated down the list of priorities for people focused upon getting their primary needs of food or shelter met. Yet, it is within the countryside where care of ecosystem has been integral to meeting these aims. At last week’s floatilla the sight of Bob Geldof with the landed gentry flicking the v-sign at working fisherfolk, including those from Cornwall was a vulgar display.

It is the fishermen and fisherwomen who share the understanding of Greens that industrial era assumptions of bountiful supply are long gone. Fishermen and miners had to learn the hard way that natural resources are exhaustible and as such recognise the need for careful management to keep their families fed and housed. Problems with ensuring sustainable livelihoods emerged when the EU introduced quota’s through the Common Fisheries Policy in 1983. It got worse when a court decision in 1991 meant that for reasons of equality, vessels of any country could could register for a quota from any state opening up territorial waters to big business. When there is competition over scarce resources, pressures exerted by market force win out over principles relating to stewardship of the commons each time. Meanwhile, centralisation of EU rules meant that fisherpeople were unable to adapt to the changes within their local ecosystem and were forced to discard fish they brought up off quota. Millions of tons of fish were discarded with the same concern that was given to livelihoods of people dependent upon their local environment. In these terms, the way the EU has been going did not engender the principles that underpin the sustainable society.

There’s a reason Goldman Sachs was funding the remain campaign and its because EU trade policies are designed to help the rich get richer, to the detriment of local communities and developing countries. The nature of globalisation is that it perpetuates the industrialist myth of perpetual growth as the damage that occurs in its wake, is often out of sight and out of mind. The psychologist Karl Weick points out what may seem obvious — people aren’t inclined to tackle issues they don’t perceive as problems. The fisherpeople wished to leave the EU as they understood there are limits to natural resources and wished to be responsive to their local environment to conserve stocks and livelihoods.

If we wish to tackle a concept that can appear nebulous like climate change, the reality is it must be done with issues that are real to people. Its much easier to become inactive or apathetic to issues that appear distant (including by time) or are depersonalised as people can shrug ‘how does it affect me anyway?’. To gain support to address social problems so large in scale they can appear out of reach, Karl Weick suggests to frame solutions in terms of ‘small wins’. This is because small wins offer immediacy, tangibility and control that can reverse feelings of powerlessness and apathy.

We currently have an entire voting population waking up from apathy, with one half experiencing a small win against political classes who have left them long feeling powerless. In this context, its understandable places with direct and tangible access to centres of decision-making, such as in Scotland and London voted to remain — because they could witness change occurring locally. Whatever the thoughts of those who did not get their way, what those experiencing the small win share is a hope for a better future. Hope has often been described as a crucial commodity for building a sustainable future as it enables people to direct more energy towards reaching their goals. It now becomes vital, to put aside petitions and petty squabbles to engage with the energy these people feel and channel the hope they have for future change as opposed to dissipating it. Corporatism veiled as a fake progressivism can be taken on and beaten with an offer of radical change.

They’re awake and listening, let’s hope a mistake isn’t made of letting UKIP or Boris Johnson be the only voice speaking the language they wish to hear.

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Scott spoilt his ballot in the EU Ref.