REGIONAL GOVERNMENT: A FEW years ago Harry Mead wrote an excellent article on what a regional assembly "twixt Tweed and Tees" would mean for the North-East of England.

If the Echo could publish Harry's article again we could compare what he said then, and what is coming to pass now.

To widen the debate on a regional assembly, perhaps we should debate the Prime Minister's attempt to ban hunting by use of Parliament, and can a regional assembly object?

New Labour came to power with a promise to ban hunting, but at that time Tony Blair was the Prime Minister of the UK , now he is not.

I am using the hunting issue only as an example and am not speaking for the hunt lobby.

If Scotland decided to repeal its ban on hunting, would Tony Blair impose a Parliament Act on Scotland?

I think we all know the answer to that one. The Scots and Welsh now see Mr Blair as only the English Prime Minister and are jealous of their territories.

We have a problem in England with our MPs, who seem to think they are talking for Britain when in fact they are not. They are not allowed a say in Welsh and Scottish affairs, but invite them to help impose a Parliament Act on England. Strange days indeed.

So, where is the devolution and democracy to be had with a regional assembly if the very people we elect to represent us and England at Westminster and the world are quite happy to allow themselves and us to be overruled by self-proclaimed foreigners?.

Is it just a warm-up for Europe? This Government is hell bent on keeping a grip on England until we are safely and irrevocably in Europe.

The word "England" has been banished from Westminster, and even UKIP refuses to grasp the nettle and reply "English Parliament" when the yes campaign goads them with "what is the alternative to a regional assembly?" - K Young, Darlington.

THE opponents of a regional assembly argue that it will be expensive. This is clearly not the case as there will be great savings from the simplification of local government.

The simplification of local government will also improve democratic accountability. Many people are confused over who is responsible for what - education, roads, waste disposal etc.

A number of functions are beyond local government and so are controlled by a hotch-potch of unelected quangos. These regional functions such as economic development, tourism etc, should be controlled by a democratically elected assembly.

The cost of the Scottish Parliament is a red herring because all of the supporters of a regional assembly are agreed that the assembly should be based in existing buildings.

Everyone who wants a more democratic and more cost-effective local and regional government should vote yes in the referendum. - Mathew Teale, Secretary, City of Durham Labour Party.

IT seems that there are no set rules for determining the borders of a region. This is clear from the completely arbitrary formation of the North-East region.

Nor is there any apparent guidance from the EU re the number or size of regions into which we must subdivide.

Why not, then, decide that our regions are Scotland, England, Wales and Northern Ireland? Just think, England would then assume for itself the powers already given to the Scots, and would no longer have to endure the indignity of laws which affect only the English being voted through against their wishes by MPs representing Scottish constituencies, or being unable to get a law passed that they really want, for the same reason or because the Lords didn't like it.

Members from all four regions would form a Westminster Parliament, and have responsibility for decisions that affect us all, eg defence and budget. The House of Lords would be involved only in these matters. - David Bishop, Guisborough.

REMEMBRANCE DAY

I AM sure there will be many 18-year-olds prepared to rise to the challenge of demonstrating their willingness to volunteer to sell poppies this year (Echo, Sept 7).

With so many wars, especially the on-going conflict in Iraq, young people are fully aware of the sacrifices made by our armed forces, both now and in the past.

Remembrance Day is too important to die out and be forgotten. As those of the generations that served in the two world wars become fewer in number, it is up to the present generation to carry the baton passed on to them. - EA Moralee, Billingham.

TERRORISM

AFTER reading letters (HAS, Sept 7) from Pete Winstanley and Stuart Hill, one begins to wonder why they forget to turn a blind eye to atrocities that have happened in parts of the United Kingdom.

The Omagh car bombs which killed 29 men, women and children, were as horrific as the Beslan massacre and the human suffering just as devastating. Even the unborn were shown no mercy as the callous terrorists allowed the police to move the people not to safety but to slaughter.

What we are witnessing today is the end game that began in the 1960-70s when it was decided that God was dead and Man was omnipotent. It was the Age of Aquarius with flights into outer space and the capability of destroying Planet Earth in four minutes.

All of this depended on large quantities of oil flowing out of the Middle Eastern deserts, but the only hope for the people of that area was in western civilisation getting dressed, taking the flowers out of their hair and controlling their nuclear weaponry.

It was also the time of mass migration of many people of the Islamic faith from the old European empires to Western Europe where they could enjoy a decent standard of living through improved education, but it would create a problem for their Islamic brethren in the Middle East.

To the militant extremists in the Middle East, who had decided that Western society was decadent and unstable, the 25-year terrorist campaign by the IRA to create an Irish Republic for the whole of Ireland was seen as an example for the implementation of an Islamic Republic.

Their plan is very simple. The greater the terror spread around the world by television networks, who have no respect for human dignity because they are products of the 1960-70s, will inevitably bring concessions which the terrorists will then negotiate.

Peace on earth is the prime objective for mankind and the United Nations is the only body that can outlaw terrorism, but its main problem is explaining freedom and democracy. - Thomas Conlon, Spennymoor.