THIS autumn, the Government plans to call a referendum to ask people in Greater Manchester and across the north west for their views on its plans for an elected regional assembly. I shall be in the "No" camp.

What is being offered is a body that will be unrepresentative and inadequate for the task. I want to see regional government, but the proposals are but an apology for one.

I remain, however, firmly of the view that the people of the north west are quite capable of running their own local affairs free from London's interference. I have confidence in our region.

This is why I am shocked to learn that three of the region's Conservative MEPs do not live here. Apparently, five years after their election to the European Parliament they are still registered to vote in the London area. They can hardly keep in touch if every time you watch the regional news you get details of London and the south east! How can you represent a region like the north west if you are not prepared to live here?

Were the local Conservatives who selected them to stand again this June aware of this fact? I would be surprised if this were the case. I have no reason to suppose that Conservatives locally are less committed to the good of our region than anyone else, but their MEPs are not doing much to prove it.

For my part, I will be voting for the Liberal Democrat candidate, people like Chris Davies, a superb MEP who really does know the region, lives in it and gets out and about in it.

SIR CYRIL SMITH