Rob Simmons

https://www.mebyonkernow.org/news/article.php?id=152

Rob lives in Penzance with his wife Kristin, and their two daughters. He was born and grew up in West Cornwall, later attending university in Aberystwyth where he gained a degree in International Politics.

He was elected onto Penzance Town Council in May 2013, and is Vice-chairman of the General Purposes Committee. He has also volunteered with the Cornwall Search and Rescue Team for the last two years.

A member of Mebyon Kernow for three years, he quickly rose to the position of social media officer and also sits on MK’s ruling National Executive.

Rob is also an active blogger at robscornishblog.blogspot.co.uk, where he writes on a wide range of subjects affecting Cornwall.

Speaking after his selection by local MK members, Rob said:

“The Coalition parties – traditionally the strongest political parties in Cornwall – are at a low ebb, following a succession of unpopular government ideas such as austerity, the pasty tax and Devonwall.

“This is a great opportunity for Mebyon Kernow to get our policies on the agenda and take the fight for a better deal for Cornwall to the corridors of power. I am relishing the challenge of this election campaign and I look forward to rocking the boat and giving the establishment parties a good run for their money.”

He added:

“Cornwall is a great place and in the St Ives constituency, in particular, we have some of the most remarkable landscapes in the world. We have a great tradition of innovation and industry, from the great mines of the past such as Geevor, Levant and Wheal Vor, to the great innovation of Porthcurno, Marconi and Goonhilly.

“We have some of the hardest working fisherman and farmers, that daily fight the elements to bring some of the finest and freshest produce to market. We have a great deal to be proud of and a great history to draw inspiration from. But despite all of this, the current set-up does not work for us.

“For example, there is an affordable housing crisis, compounded by the rise in second homes and the problems of a low wage economy. Yet politicians in Westminster are utterly complacent on such issues.

“We need a political system that works for us; we need a Cornish Assembly so we can make the decisions to help ourselves. And we need to develop new ways of providing affordable housing and to force politicians to help those people struggling to put a roof over their heads.

“The Cornish economy also needs support. We need to protect existing businesses and find ways to encourage new enterprise. Elsewhere in the United Kingdom, we see large infrastructure projects creating jobs. And yet, work on the railway line serving Cornwall was only prioritised when part of the trackbed was destroyed by violent storms.

“Cornwall needs investment to create the decent jobs that people of my generation are crying out for.”