IT is sometimes difficult not to smile when a bad plan takes a plunge, but when a plan as bad as John Prescott's idea for regional government skids off course, laughing out loud becomes irresistible.
New Labour thought they had the north east referendum vote in the bag. That was until the voters taught them otherwise.
The unequivocal conclusion to the idea of regional government was that not even John Prescott could cajole the canny north easterners into it. They told Mr Prescott what to do with his additional layer of expensive mumbo-jumbo.
They did so, not with a wavering whisper but with a resounding shout of rejection. Good for them I say. The people of the north east have shown that there is not an appetite for carving-up England for no obvious advantage to anyone. I hope politicians have learned their lesson from this costly exercise, and we do not hear any more about regional government.
JEAN ALLISON (Mrs),
Ramsbottom.
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