PLANS for Cornwall to follow Wales and Scotland in breaking away from the rest of the country will be presented to Parliament this week.

North Cornwall MP Dan Rogerson will unveil a Bill which would give the county control over its own affairs, wrestling power away from Whitehall and "unelected regional quangos".

The move comes less than four months after the launch of Cornwall's new unitary council, which many hoped would act as the catalyst for greater devolution of power to the area.

Mr Rogerson's planned legislation would give Cornwall greater responsibility in areas such as agriculture, heritage, education, housing and economic sustainability.

"I believe strongly that Cornwall should re-assert its rightful place within the United Kingdom," he said.

"Cornwall is a unique part of the country, and this should be reflected in the way that it is governed.

"We should have the right to determine areas of policy that affect the people of Cornwall the hardest, such as rules on housing."

MPs in Cornwall have mounted a long-running campaign against the housing targets imposed in the Regional Spatial Strategy plan which proposes 68,500 homes for the county.

The Liberal Democrats argue that local people are better-placed to decide where homes should go.

St Ives MP Andrew George claimed the county had become a "developers' paradise" without building enough affordable homes.

In the Government of Cornwall Bill, to be presented to Parliament tomorrow, Mr Rogerson hopes to "demonstrate to the House of Commons that there is a political and social will for Cornwall to be recognised as its own nation".

He added: "Constitutionally, Cornwall has the right to a level of self-government. If the Government is going to recognise the right of Scotland and Wales to greater self-determination because of their unique cultural and political positions, then they should recognise ours."