TAXPAYERS would have to fork out £122million a year for regional assemblies, Tories have claimed.

Shadow Minister for the Regions, Bernard Jenkin, said "spiralling costs" of devolution shown by the London Assembly, the Scottish Parliament and the Welsh Assembly proved that regional government was "fat government".

He said a regional assembly in the North East would cost £22 million a- ear, in the North West £58 million, and Yorkshire and Humber £42 million.

If regional assemblies were extended to the whole of England the cost would be £360 million, the party said.

"Regional government is fat government," Mr Jenkin said. He added. "Britain already has too much bloated bureaucracy and we don't need more palaces for politicians."

Referendums in the North West and Yorkshire were postponed after fears were raised about postal voting in those regions.

"I can't believe people will really vote for another row of politicians rather than 1,150 extra police officers on the streets," Mr Jenkin said.