DEVOLUTION: SOME time ago, a correspondent commented on the large number of Scots in the Government. He was right then, more so now.

As Blair and Co have become more unpopular, they have fallen back increasingly on strongholds in Northern England and Scotland.

Fine if you are a Scot. The Chancellor is Scottish as is the Home Secretary, Defence Secretary, Lord Chancellor, Commons Speaker and innumerable junior ministers.

Scots also have devolved powers administered from their own expensive parliament building, bankrolled by the whole UK. No English interference is allowed, but there is Scottish interference in English matters at Westminster.

What does Northern England get? Despite its Labour loyalty record, the North is taken for granted. The North-East is a dumping ground for career politicians seeking safe seats.

I previously wrote to HAS to say every part of the UK should have its own parliament. England should have two, north and south, as it has more people and the political characters of the two are so different.

A federal rump authority, dealing with such as foreign affairs and defence, should be left at Westminster. Remaining Westminster MPs should be made redundant, and left free to seek election to their own devolved parliament.

I still think this is the best solution. - Geoff Taylor, Darlington.

REGIONAL GOVERNMENT

IN reply to the letter from Councillor Chris Foote Wood (HAS, June 14) I waited until now to ask him about the European Union Committee of the Regions simply because until he started enthusing about his membership of it, I was not aware of its existence - which I suspect will be the case for many people.

It is not a body we are made fully aware of, but being under EU control that is the way they will keep it.

I had asked if Coun Foote Wood would answer my questions, not for the name of an EU-controlled website. Why assume we all have computers? Again he has failed to give a direct answer to a direct question. - John Routledge, Witton Gilbert.

COUN Foote Wood is naive to insist regional government has been with us for decades (HAS, June 14).

Recently, mainstream politicians have been party to spending huge amounts in reorganising the NHS and the police on European regional lines. Add to this the expense of quangos set up by Blair and Co to provide a pathetic justification for regional governments.

The Euro map showing the Western Europe regions is available in municipal libraries, our Celtic fringe regions coinciding with the constituent nations - Eire, Northern Ireland, Wales and Scotland. To complete this process, England is being fragmented into eight regions, which will ensure the end of our nation.

We must have an English Parliament, ensuring the survival of the Palace of Westminster and our monarch. - F Evans, Sunderland.

COUN Foote Wood is right (HAS, June 14). When I voted in the referendum about the regional assembly the word "regionalisation" was not on the ballot paper. However, if he checks The Northern Echo archives about meetings held to promote the Government's wish for regional assemblies he will see that words such as "devolution" and "developing the regional agenda" were used by the supporters of the Yes vote.

Coun Foote Wood asks why I waited seven years to complain. If he remembers, my first letter was a comment that he was extolling the Liberal values of listening to the people. I pointed out that although we had voted against regionalisation, things such as regional police forces and health services and the creation of a directly-elected regional assembly with extra powers have recently been promoted. It has taken seven years for the back door to be pushed ajar.

Coun Foote Wood says we need more democracy at regional level. Why, then, does he stay on the unelected North-East Assembly? - Barry Wood, Edmondsley, Co Durham.

THE system of governance Coun Foote Wood believes has failed the North-East (HAS, June 14) seems to work elsewhere in England.

There is no evidence to suggest devolution has rapidly changed the economy of Scotland or Wales. In fact, the so-called free systems offered over the border are basically paid for by England. The longer politicians from Coun Foote Wood's level to Downing Street disenfranchise the English the greater the backlash will be.

Coun Foote Wood also made a disgraceful attempt to align himself with the English flag. The campaign to fly the English flag at Wear Valley District Council was non-political and carried out by the Metric Martyr, Neil Herron, and myself.

I have the written evidence and the word of the official who took the meeting notes about our campaign to fly the English flag - Coun Foote Wood was recorded as saying "two individuals trying to make name by promoting prejudice and ignorance". So, for our wish to fly the English flag, albeit ahead of the EU flag, Coun Foote Wood believes I am prejudiced and ignorant.

He should explain his comments to the public. If not, I suggest he considers whether he is fit to represent the English people a day longer. - Jim Tague, Bishop Auckland.

COULD I possibly correct the comments of Coun Foote Wood (HAS, June 14), who argued for the EU flag to be reflown, and not for initial flying of the English flag at Wear Valley. The EU flag had flown "illegally" for many years at Wear Valley District Council. It took two members of the public to point this out, and to demand the English flag be flown in place of the EU flag.

Not once previous to this date did Coun Foote Wood demand the flying of our flag on a permanent basis, the English Cross of St George. The council was forced to fly the English flag after the intervention of myself and Jim Tague, and then bizarrely chose to remove its own flag so the pro-EU cabal within the council, which includes Coun Foote Wood, could refly their EU flag.

Since I have the notes and minutes of meetings referring to the comments of the councillors, including those attributed to Coun Foote Wood, perhaps he will retract his comments suggesting he was all in favour of the English flag at such a meeting. - Neil Herron, Sunderland.

TORY MP Peter Atkinson (Hexham) said recently "it would be much more sensible to have elected representatives of local authorities getting together to determine regional strategies".

Quite right. This is exactly what we have already with the North-East Assembly, which includes elected representatives of all 25 of the region's local councils, plus people elected by business, trades unions, churches, etc.

Democratic regional government, with real powers devolved from national governments, has been a great success for many European countries, why not for the UK? It works for Scotland and Wales (thanks to fair votes by PR), why not for the English regions, too?

All Scottish and Welsh quangos are now democratically accountable. The North-East's 100-plus regional quangos should also be made accountable to the people of the region, as well as having their work co-ordinated through a single body. - Councillor Chris Foote Wood, LibDem Group Leader and Vice-Chairman, North-East Assembly.