OUR Government and the EU are keen to see the advent of elected English Regional Assemblies, currently being sold to us as a way of decentralising power.
In Brussels in May 1998, John Prescott, the Minister driving this policy said: "Governments must be as close as possible to their citizens and a Europe of the Regions is a way of doing this."
Rewind to the events of last week when the unelected EU Commission ruled as illegal the inducement paid by the Belgian Walloon regional government to Ryanair.
It overruled a decision made by the members of that regional government desperate to bring economic prosperity to that region. This action should ring alarm bells throughout our country.
This ruling demonstrates quite clearly that the real power will reside with the undemocratic, unaccountable institutions of the European Union.
Voters should think very carefully about the implications of further emasculating their elected national and local levels of government.
Val Cowell, North West Press Office, UK Independence Party, Northwood Way, Poulton Le Fylde
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