Cornwall would enjoy greater legislative power as part of a devolution law under the Liberal Democrats, party leader and Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg has outlined today. However the Mebyon Kernow has described the Liberal Democrat announcement as “ill considered” and a “nonsense".

Embarking on a tour of Cornwall - a key Lib Dem battleground at the forthcoming general election - Mr Clegg said a new Cornish assembly would allow the county to have a choice on legislation for issues such as health spending and property ownership.

The announcement is expected to chime with some supporters of the Mebyon Kernow party, whose appeal has blossomed in recent years under the pledge of greater power and decision-making for the people of Cornwall.

Mr Clegg said: "In the next parliament, Lib Dems would deliver a new law - a Devolution Enabling Act - which will enable Cornwall to take legislative power into a Cornish Assembly, much like that in Wales.

"It could mean more power for representatives in Cornwall to improve areas such as housing, health care, education and public transport. Cornwall could choose to have different rules to England on a whole range of policy areas like academy schools, health service spending, right to buy, second home ownership and bus services."

The Lib Dems have traditionally enjoyed political success in Cornwall - the county was all-gold until they saw their hold halved at the last election when the Conservatives won three of the county's six parliamentary seats.

Announcing the pledge today on St Piran's Day - a day of celebration in Cornwall marking the patron saint of tin miners - Mr Clegg said: "When the Cornish Assembly is born, it would be up to those who are elected to shape Cornwall's destiny.

"But we want to give a few examples of what we think it might achieve. Cornwall could alter right to buy, keeping back vital homes for 29,000 people waiting on the local housing list. We could change planning law and council tax so buying up second homes in Cornwall comes with a greater price.

"And Cornwall could blaze a trail, integrating local NHS services and funding with the social care which people rely on all year round - that alone could save millions of pounds and improve thousands of lives."

Speaking on behalf of Mebyon Kernow, Cllr Loveday Jenkin said: “There must be an election on – the Lib Dems are talking about a Cornish Assembly. It is an abject shame they have done nothing about meaningful devolution to Cornwall whilst in government over the last five years.

“The statement from Nick Clegg and Jeremy Rowe contains many fine words about creating a Cornish Assembly, describing it as ‘much like that in Wales.’ But the Liberal Democrat statement is ill considered and goes on to state that they are actually planning to simply give more powers to the unitary authority.  Cornwall needs proper devolution – not local government reform.

“Cornwall needs a powerful legislative Assembly – similar to those in Wales and Scotland – that control the majority of the public sector including the National Health Service, all aspects of education, a wide range of public bodies, and local government.

“It is an unbelievable nonsense that the Liberal Democrats do not know the difference between a National Assembly and a local council – thinking they could be one and the same!”