Calling Cornish people 'inbred' allowed in law

Calling Cornish people "inbred" is acceptable in law because they are not a distinct racial group, the human rights watchdog has ruled.

The Kernow branch of the Celtic League complained to the Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) about the use of the term and other mockery of the people of Cornwall in the media.

But the commission said it was powerless to prosecute anyone because under the Race Relations Act, the Cornish did not exist as a separate nationality from the English.



In a reply to the Celtic League, Qaiser Razzak, the South West regional manager of the EHRC, said that in order for any remedy to be available in domestic (UK) legal proceedings, the Cornish would need to be defined as a "racial group" under the Race Relations Act, which had not yet been done.

"To date, case law has not established the Cornish as a 'racial group', for the purposes of the Race Relations Act, so currently, it is not clear whether any claim of racial discrimination against Cornish people would be successful."

He added that a European treaty, which the UK was bound to follow, set down protection for "national minorities". "However, although binding on the UK Government, it has not been implemented into domestic law and does not therefore provide a right to bring any legal proceedings," he said.