The region which has consistently produced the strongest expressions of public support for regional devolution is Cornwall. In 2001 a petition was presented to Mr Blair containing 50,000 names. In 2003 a MORI poll showed 55 per cent of respondents favoured establishing a regional assembly for Cornwall.

The Government knows that, to achieve delivery of democratic regions in the South it will need to change the regional map.

The majority of prinicpial local authorities in the county support the establishment of Cornwall as a region. Since Cornwall was separated from its uneasy and centrally imposed "marriage" with Devon in 1997 it has worked with the government through a European Structural Funds regeneration programme (Objective 1) to address the problems of the poorest region in the UK.

Cornwall remains poor, but it has rapidly become a positive, confident and high-performing region - indeed, the best Objective 1 region in Europe. Current, rather clumsy, efforts to force a new South West "assembly" into being are currently threatening to undo all that Cornwall and the Government have recently achieved.

If the Government wants to be remembered for instituting cohesive and sustainable regions then let it be enlightened and bold enough to work with natural regions - of which Cornwall is the shining example - where they exist. We in Cornwall call on the Government to include within its forthcoming Bill the means of establishing new regions, and of refocusing artificial zones such as the South West. Mr Raynsford can win a referendum in Cornwall tomorrow. Cornwall wants to streamline its local government structures and to develop its already well-established regional profile.

Bert Biscoe, Chairman, Cornish Constitutional Convention, 3 Lower Rosewin Row, Truro