AS usual Andrew Oxley's letter (Journal, April 20) gets just about everything wrong, this time about the North West.

With a staggering 97 per cent of the public identifying it as their region (MORI survey), it has in fact the highest recognition factor in England.

The North West Regional Assembly is not just recognised by Labour politicians, as, in addition to some of the region's senior business people and representatives from the voluntary sector, Tory MEPs and leading Tory councillors fully participate in its meetings.

Regional Government has existed in the North West for many years, through unaccountable civil servants and quangos. The Labour Government wants to make these democratically accountable to the region.

This process now takes place in Scotland, Wales and London, and, if we do not have something similar, then the North West will be left behind.

We can see from Andrew Oxley's letter that some Tories are not concerned about this.

One of the Government's criteria for establishing the elected regional bodies will be that there will be no extra cost, so another Tory promise on tax cuts can not be met.

The purpose of the Labour Government's plans is to encourage England's regions to use their local knowledge and enthusiasm to reduce inequalities. With a population of just under seven million, higher than both Scotland and Wales, as well as that of four European countries, I believe the North West has both the capacity and the will to do just that.

I hope the Tories will not back the wrong horse again as they did in Scotland, Wales and London.

Peter Smith

Leader, North West Regional Assembly