Andrew Duff calls for end to 'piecemeal, half witted English devolution'

10.15.05am GMT Fri 5th Nov 2004

European Liberal Democrat spokesman on constitutional affairs Andrew Duff MEP will react to the results of the referendum on the North East Regional Assembly in a speech he is to make in Norwich tomorrow (Saturday).

Speaking to a conference of Norfolk Liberal Democrats at Costessey, Andrew Duff will say:

"The No vote in the North East was wholly predictable. What the government offered was a piecemeal, half-witted proposal to superimpose a weak regional assembly on top of reluctant local government. Instead of drawing real decision making powers down from Whitehall towards the regions, Labour's proposal simply top-sliced some traditional strategic powers of local government. Even advocates of the government's scheme were forced to admit it was an imperfect, unstable solution.

"Nevertheless, the problems of regional coherence and identity remain. English regions will only be able to assert themselves in the more competitive environment of the enlarged Europe if they have a stronger political voice. The fact is that English shire counties acting on their own are too small to be able to have much of an effect in Brussels. Regionalism is still a valid objective.

"For English devolution to become acceptable to the British people it must be accompanied by revitalised local government, often with directly elected Mayors, even at the most local level of the parish. In the East of England, GO East and EEDA should be made directly accountable to the authority of a regional assembly. Only then will the assembly itself be able to lay claim to a greater legitimacy through direct election.

"Decentralisation must be accompanied by a slim line House of Commons to reflect its new status with regard to the provinces and the European Union. House of Lords reform and proportional representation must be included as part of the package.

"Reformers should learn lessons from this setback in the North East but not be deflected from their conviction that Britain needs radical changes to its political system if it is to become better governed in the long run.

"Liberal Democrats will be in the forefront of those who will carry these arguments forward."

ENDS/…