Cornish Mudd
Sir: Naturally, in the enlightened freedom of your pages, Mr Mackay of Darwen, Lancs, is entitled to his opinion of the Cornish (Letters, 25 March). It was ex- pressed with the Celtic conviction which it has no doubt taken Clan Mackay of Dar- wen many centuries to develop and pass on to one of its native sons.
Nevertheless, one paragraph of his letter should not pass unchallenged. Yes, there is one native Cornish MP amongst the five. The Conservative Member for Falmouth and Camborne, David Mudd was born in Falmouth (in 1933, though he will probably not thank me for saying so). Two more, David Harris and Robert Hicks, are of good stock from next door in Devon. A thrid, Matthew Taylor, spent his formative years (and how recent they are) in the Duchy. Only in the fifth case, Gerry Neale, do my files fail to reveal a birthplace I suspect he is a proud Home Counties man.
Before the Mackay of that Ilk smugly cuts another slice of black pudding, pours a milk stout and dips his Chorley cake in it, may I point out that he too, has interlop- ers. Analysis of the 16 Lancashire MPs reveals natives of Hampstead, Hertford- shire, Essex, Northen Ireland and even Hong Kong amongst true sons and daugh- ters of the Red Rose. Is Lancashire the poorer for allowing such indiscretions?
It is sad that the Mackay has so soon forgotten the late and much-lamented David Penhaligon, an MP so 'native' that many thought he was the MP for Cornwall. I can assure him that in the country at large, and probably even in the North, David's memory will long outlast that of any of the eminent Lancastrians now sit- ting for their county constituencies, with due respect to them.
The venerable A.L Rowse could no doubt enlighten me as to any historical conflict between the two Duchies of Corn- wall and Lancaster. But please don't let a Mackay, of all people, start one now.
Chris Rogers
Political editor, Television South West, Derry's Cross, Plymouth, Devon
Previous page
