England, like Scotland, is one country and its people should be given the same opportunity as the people of Scotland to opt for a parliament of their own. At its simplest, it is a matter of fairness and equality of opportunity.

The creation of nine English Regions will not answer the West Lothian Question. It is for the people of England not the UK government to determine the way power is devolved within England. The current quango based regional arrangements are being offered on a take it or leave it basis. That is neither fair nor in keeping with the proclaimed aims of devolution.

A major selling point for the Nine-Region System is that those living in them will be better off as a result of attracting more investment and funding.

Where is the additional money to come from?

Not from the EU because spending priorities are being switched to Eastern Europe,

Not from corporations because each Region will be competing with the others, Each will try to outbid the others with the offer of grants and concessions. In the end, all will be worse off. 

Not through the Barnett Formula because if one Region gets more the others will get less. Some regions will be worse off because they will not only get less but also be expected to pay more.

If devolution is merely the division of the UK into regions, there is no good reason for not treating them equally. The nine English Regional Assemblies will not have the same powers as the Scottish Parliament, and the Regional governments will not have the same powers as the Scottish Executive. For instance, they will not have the same rights of representation with the UK government and the EU.

  The drawing of lines on a map and the failure to recognise England as a natural political entity points to England being treated as if it were the last colony of the British Empire. The policy of divide and rule lives on.

  England is not too big that an English Parliament will unbalance the Union. That objection smacks of desperation and is based on an arbitrary rule concerning size. It can equally be argued that Scotland and Wales are too small and that the creation of the Scottish Parliament and Welsh Assembly has unbalanced the Union. The people of England should not be expected to bear the cost of preserving something that treats them less favourably than it treats other citizens of the UK. The remedy is a renegotiated Union that meets the needs of all its parts