Cornwall as the UK’s Fifth Nation? Here’s What People Think

Between 28th July-6th August 2025, PFA Research conducted an independent exercise to ask 228 respondents who have ties to the county about their thoughts on this.

 

Awareness and (assumed) understanding is high

Most (82%) were aware that Cornwall Council had voted in favour of Cornwall being officially recognised as the fifth nation of the United Kingdom, and two thirds (64%) felt they understood what such official national recognition for Cornwall would mean.

Support is strong amongst survey respondents

71% of respondents support recognition of Cornwall as a fifth nation, compared with 17% who oppose it.

Support is even stronger if not going as far as proposing nationhood status, but simply asking if it is important that Cornwall has greater decision-making powers or self-governance (82% feel this is important versus 15% who do not).

This is not surprising, given that 86% of respondents think decision makers outside of Cornwall (e.g. those in Westminster) do not understand Cornwall’s needs and priorities well.

Support is weaker (although still expressed by the majority) if asked whether they trust Cornwall Council to represent their interests in discussions about greater powers or devolution for Cornwall: 58% do trust the Council (4% completely, 54% to some extent) versus 40% who do not.

72% feel the people of Cornwall should be given a vote on whether there should be a Cornish Assembly, and 64% say that if such a referendum were held tomorrow, they would vote in favour (versus 15% who would vote against).

Is this discussion in the wider public interest?

27% of respondents think so,  compared with 17% who see it as a conversation being driven by campaign groups or political interests, and 18% who see it as both (both politically motivated but also in the wider interest).  9% expressed sufficient distrust in politics and/or politicians as to see the discussion as being meaningless.  31% did not answer the question and 6% said “don’t know”.

In your own words, what do you think such recognition would mean to Cornwall?

Whilst respondents answered in their own words, but some key themes emerged:

• 38% matter of factly reflected that this would be a recognition of Cornish nationhood;
• 34% focussed on the devolution of power to Cornwall / the self-governance this would bring;
• 34% specifically spoke of control – control over local decisions, resources and/or budgets;
• 29% raised the benefits of protecting and/or promoting the Cornish culture and language such recognition might bring;
• 19% spoke of the potential for economic benefits, including issues of funding and infrastructure improvement;
• 12% expressed pride or the emotional significance that the affirmation of national identity would give them ;
• 5% thought such recognition would boost tourism to Cornwall and/or raise Cornwall’s international profile.

Respondents could mention more than one “theme”, which is why the above percentages add to more than 100%.

It wasn’t all endorsement.  One in five (18%) expressed concerns or scepticism, from the mild (querying the point of such recognition, or worrying about how it might be implemented in practice) to be extremely opposed, seeing the move as regressive, isolationist or even being to Cornwall’s detriment.

14% either did not give an answer or simply said they did not know.

How to balance discussions about national recognition and more local power with other priorities (e.g. housing, public services, the economy)

Whilst 30% were concerned that discussions about a Cornish Assembly or national status may risk distracting from more important issues facing Cornwall right now, 48% disagreed that it posed a distraction (21% unsure).

Asked to say in their own words how such conversations about priorities could be balanced, there were again themes amongst respondents:

• 34% did not see a conflict of priorities – to them devolution means an improvement to local issues and priorities;
  • Another 17% expressed a similar view in a slightly different way, not so much that devolution means an improvement, but that they see these conversations as inter-related, not requiring relative prioritisation ;
• 28% expressly saw housing as the top priority, over and above conversations about national recognition;
• 18% saw the local economy and local jobs as the number one top priority;
• 13% saw recognition of the Cornish identity and culture as the key issue;
• 11% saw the conversation about national recognition as a distraction from more important priorities, or simply as a low priority issue;
• 10% expressed scepticism in the national government and a lack of faith in Westminster for there to be any point in discussions about Cornwall’s nationhood;
• 26% did not answer the question or simply said “don’t know”.

What might the benefits be?

Asked to say in their own words what they thought could be the benefits of Cornwall having greater self-governance through a Cornish Assembly or other form of devolved powers:

• 30% expressed positive views of local decision-making without outlining any specific benefits;
• 14% thought the key benefit would be improvements to housing and planning control;
• 11% thought there would be increased, or at least fairer, funding;
• 9% thought services (such as NHS, transport, education) would improve;
• 7% thought Cornwall’s cultural identity and language would benefit;
• 6% thought devolution would improve accountability and representativeness;
• 6% thought it would give autonomy over Cornwall’s economy and resources;
• 3% saw control over tourism regulation as a benefit;
• 3% thought environment and sustainability issues would benefit.

6% expressed scepticism about devolution or said they saw no benefits to it at all.  30% did not answer the question, 3% said they did not know what the benefits might be, and 1% expressed “other” views not categorised above.

What are the concerns?

Asked to say in their own words what concerns, if any, they have about Cornwall gaining more political powers or autonomy:

• 14% said they had no concerns at all about devolution;
• 18% saw the success as depending on the quality / competence of Cornwall’s elected officials to make it work;
  • Another 8% went further and voiced concerns for the potential for poor governance or even for corruption;
• 17% were doubtful about the financial sustainability of Cornwall’s self-governance;
• 7% thought it could well simply add just another layer of government / bureaucracy;
  • Another 4% said they thought local governance would redundantly overlap with existing structures;
• 6% worried it could make Cornwall more vulnerable to political extremism (mostly expressed as “the Far Right”);
• 5% felt that there is likely to be a lack of public understanding or engagement;
• 5% thought there could be risk that local governance could lead to isolationism, parochialism and/or nationalism;
• 4% felt that any steps toward devolution would likely not go far enough to be meaningful;
  • Another 3% expressed similar views, thinking likely interference from Westminster or the Duchy, or limitations put on devolution by them, would limit the benefits;
• 2% held concerns that local governance would likely benefit Truro and central Cornwall at the expense of more rural areas.

32% did not answer the question, and 7% said they did not know what the disadvantages might be.

What areas should be decided locally, not nationally?

Nearly all those responding thought that housing and planning (91%) and transport/ infrastructure (81%) should be decided locally by Cornwall, rather than at a national level.  All areas prompted saw support for local governance by at least half of respondents:

• Housing % planning 91%
• Transport & infrastructure 81%
• Economic development & business support 74%
• Health & social care 68%
• Environment & climate action 59%
• Policing & justice 55%
• Education 54%
• None of these should be locally governed 3%
• Don’t know 4%

Any other comments?

Respondents were asked if there was anything they wished to add, in their own words, and nearly a third (29%) did so:

• 11% re-expressed their support for Cornish autonomy / recognition
• 6% expressed distrust of local leadership / Cornwall Council
• 5% emphasised the importance of Cornish cultural and historical identity
• 4% expressed frustration with central government
• 4% requested more information to be made publicly available on the issue before further decisions on devolution be made
• 3% spoke of concerns that devolution could lead to abuse of power and the possibility of corruption
• 3% raised the economic and social challenges that devolution might bring
• 2% called for transparency and such votes being democratic / put to the Cornish people
• 2% expressed scepticism about devolution
• 71% did not answer