Mebyon Kernow – The Party for Cornwall is looking to change its name in an attempt to broaden the party’s gender inclusivity. At Saturday’s national conference, members debated the much-anticipated motion, failing to come to a final conclusion. It comes as Dick Cole officially steps down after 29 years as party leader, making way for Michael Bunney.

Mebyon Kernow, translated as ‘Sons of Cornwall’ was chosen at the party’s inaugural meeting in January 1951 – although the phrase can be also translated as ‘Children of Cornwall’. The slogan ‘The Party for Cornwall’ will be retained, adopted in the 1999 conference, when 95% of members voted in favour of it.

The basis for the motion was an alleged “gender exclusion” which has impacted recruitment and voting. Others have claimed that the connotations of the name isolates those who cannot trace direct ancestral routes to Cornwall. Two possible changes were proposed – Movyans (Movement) and Medhoryon (Speakers for) and were subjected to their own linguistic and political debates.

Some members, largely those representing the party’s youth branch, Kernow Rydh, dismissed the idea of a name change. They instead sought to focus on material and “policy” changes that enfranchises female, lesbian, intersex, non-binary, and agender people (FLINTA). The eventual choice of members, however, was to suspend the discussion until the party’s Spring conference, pending further research and public consultation.

There is a worry within the MK leadership that this discussion causes unnecessary conflict and discourse, and drags up a “decades-old” decision.

Speaking to Cobblestone, Deputy Leader Loveday Jenkin said:

“I think it’s probably not a good idea. I think that we have brand recognition as MK, and from a linguistic perspective. I dont have the concerns that some people have about whether Mebyon has a male orientation, because we have lots of words in Cornish that can translate to ‘everyone’.”

Jenkin also sought to emphasise the progressive role of the party more broadly, with MK being the first British political party to be led by a woman and founded by a woman, Helena Charles. Broader party discussions will continue on the subject for the following months, until the 2027 spring conference.

Image via: Cobblestone Media.