The publication of the Government's white paper on regional governance should act as a very loud alarm call to the people of England.

The plan is to divide the country into regional assemblies with no constitutional basis or legislative powers and remove county councils.

This will take local government further away from the electorate and cost hundreds of millions of pounds to set up.

In short England, unlike Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, will cease to exist as a country.

Keeping the county councils and setting up a proper parliament for England is the only economical and sensible course, providing England with its own MPs with responsibilities only to the English people.

Money saved from setting up unnecessary new assemblies could be spent on improving services.

Veronica Newman,

Eastbourne Road,

Trowbridge.