The Great Debate - My View: Denise Robertson, author and television agony aunt, who lives in the Sunderland area.

I support the idea of regional government reluctantly, because I feel it is something that has been forced upon us. It is not something I really want, but I feel the need to respond to what has happened to Britain since devolution.

My sense of identity and pride in the North-East comes from my parents, but I do not believe there is a North-South divide.

People in the South have always been kind to me and although I am proud of my North-East origins, I do not feel that I live in some kind of stockade with the enemy without.

I was born British, I am British, and England, Scotland, Ireland and Wales is a fantastic combination.

The problem is that since devolution, people in Scotland and Wales have felt separate. We are seeing the United Kingdom breaking up and I do not like the way Britain is fragmenting.

But, like it or not, this is something that has happened and we have to adapt to it. I have been dragged kicking and screaming towards supporting regional government, but now I feel that if we do not take the opportunity we will lose out.

The North-East needs a strong voice of its own and I don't want it to be the weak child that is always pushed to the bottom of the table. I am nervous, however, of us becoming too parochial. We must not become a bully, trying to get our way over the interests of other areas.

That would be divisive and there is a danger that, if areas battle for supremacy, we will lose the cohesive nature of Britain and break up into little kingdoms again.

Although I acknowledge that the region needs that strong voice, I think some decisions should still be made by central Government.

The role of regional government should be to ensure that the North-East voice is heard. An assembly must ensure that levied money is spent fairly across the country - something which is not happening at the moment.

People will also be asked to vote on the future of local government in October.

I can see the argument that district councils have strong links with their communities, but if regional government is to work, we need to sweep everything away and start again.

When I lived in Seaham, people were not sure which responsiblity was Easington District Council's and which was Durham County Council's. We need a new blueprint so that everyone know where responsibility lies and organisations and elected members are accountable.

My main message is that I want the UK to be united as far as possible. I do not want to be a Little Englander and I do not want regional government - if we are to have it - to accelerate the fragmentation of Britain.

A regional assembly will be one voice among many. If we all work together we will make sure that the North-East voice is a strong one.