I thought you all might like to see a photo of this years Darkie Days as published in today's Western Morning News but on the website there is no photo, just one in the paper itself. The photo shows the Merrymakers wearing Cornwall rugby Shirts, tophats and bowler hats with tinsel around them, morning tail coats and jeans processing through the town. The Blacking on faces is exactly the same as you would have on any other mummers, black faced morris or molly side. Not a minstrel in sight! There are also comments from the Cornwall County Council, the Commission for Racial Equality and Council for Racial Equality in Cornwall who all categorically say they have made no complaint. The police sent ten police officers, three police vans and three more police with video cameras to the event on Boxing day. There were less than 20 Merrymakers! The songs they were singing were traditional Cornish folk songs - does this mean we can't sing Trelawney, Camborne Hill or the White Rose anymore?

It has also been pointed out to me, and I share this with you, that all over the west country there are hundreds of 'Darkie Lanes' or 'Darkie Streets' in villages and towns. It is a traditional name in the west country and has no racist overtones. Would they have to go too?