DEPUTY Prime Minister John Prescott has ruled out immediate plans for a North West regional assembly in the wake of the resounding "No" vote in the North East.

Mr Prescott yesterday told the House of Commons he would not bring forward orders for votes in the North West or Yorkshire after last week's ballot. He confirmed the Government would drop a Bill, expected in this month's Queen's Speech, to pave the way for assemblies to take power.

The North West and Yorkshire polls were initially postponed by the Government after the Electoral Commission raised fears over the potential security of all-postal ballots.

Pendle MP Gordon Prentice, who has always insisted a regional assembly would not work, said: "I knew it could not be won. It would be tied in with local government reorganisation and to do this would have cost an arm and a leg.

"Pendle would have disappeared into a huge East Lancashire assembly driven from the top, not the bottom.

"A regional assembly would be a huge distraction. We want to get cracking to tackle the issues that really matter."

Hyndburn council leader Peter Britcliffe, said: "I'm delighted. I don't think Mr Prescott would have dared have a referendum here. He lost at least three to one in the North East, seen as the area most likely to welcome regional assembly, and would probably have lost around five or six to one in the North West."

Leader of Lancashire County Council, Hazel Harding, said: "Common sense has prevailed. The Government has looked at what they got in the North East. I find it plausible the same would have happened here."

Mr Prescott told MPs the Government "will continue to decentralise and devolve power wherever we can".

He added: "The Government has made it clear that the decision whether to have elected regional government rests with the people. It's their choice, their say."