Cornwall Lib Dem councillor Alex Folkes takes me to task in his excellent blog for identifying 6th September as a key date in the Parliamentary timetable for legislation which, in its present form, would transfer thousands of Cornwall's voters to Devon. I stand by my story and here's why.
The key question is whether or not, when the Parliamentary Voting Systems and Constituencies Bill has its Second Reading on 6th September, there is a division. The Bill is so controversial that MPs will almost certainly demand a vote. The Labour Party in particular, viewing the prospect of its northern strongholds decimated, will take any opportunity to amend or kill the Bill in its present form.
If the Bill survives 6th September, then (as Alex suggests) it will go to committee and the Lords before coming back to the Commons for its third and final reading. But Nick Clegg's proposals could be ambushed at any time.
The question for Cornwall's MPs is whether their enthusiasm for Cornwall's geo-political integrity outweighs their enthusiasm for party loyalty and the coalition government. If it is the former, then there is no reason why they should not join in attempts to change or defeat the Bill on 6th September.
I cannot help but wonder if any of Cornwall's MPs will table an amendment to the Bill themselves. If not, why not?
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