Less talk and more action...we are waiting.

As the dust settles we can look at the Conservative Party position on the subject of unelected regional assemblies.
Caroline Spelman has written a letter calling for the abolition of the unelected 'chambers' or assemblies. This seems to us like talk. We want action from this party and we want the withdrawal of all Conservative Party support for these bodies, including the withdrawal of 'voluntary' subscriptions from Conservative Council run local authorites, and the resignation from thees bodies of Conservative councillors.
We expect nothing less.
Neil H

Conservative Party
"Less Talk, more Action"

Prescott's regional agenda is now dead
Read online here
Conservatives have called on Deputy Prime Minister John Prescott to abandon his ill-fated English regional assemblies agenda after voters overwhelmingly rejected a "fake devolution" scheme for the north-east.In a referendum, 696,519 people registered a 'No' vote, while only 197,310 signalled approval for an assembly in the region. The clear 78% to 22% verdict left the Government's policy in ruins, and Mr Prescott's political credibility in tatters.

However, ministers still refused to rule out further referendums in other regions earmarked for assembly schemes.But Shadow Regions Secretary Bernard Jenkin seized on the voters verdict to urge the Government to dump its policy. He said: "This is a decisive vote against regional government, against more politicians and more talk. A whole coalition of individuals led the campaign against the assembly - an assembly which would have been the 'white elephant' of the North East. In helping to secure a no vote, they have done the whole country a favour."He told conservatives.com: "The fake devolution which Mr Prescott proposed has been rejected, and the regional agenda is now dead. The Government must abandon their plans for any further regional referendums. People in the North East, as in so many parts of the country, have been let down by Labour, and the Government must now act to move the agenda away from one being set by Whitehall and Westminster. We must have now a real debate about how real power is returned to councils so that local people have a real say over local issues."

And Caroline Spelman, Shadow Secretary for Local and Devolved Government Affairs backed up the message when she said: "This is a clear message from the people of the north east. They clearly don't want another tier of government in their region. The Government should now give up their plans for regional devolution."Dismissing the proposed assembly as a "talking shop" which would be unable to deliver improved public services, Mrs Spelman added: "If we are going to address apathy we need to give powers back to councils over housing, not to unelected regional housing boards."

Later, Mrs Spelman fired off a letter to the embattled Deputy Premier, calling for the abolition of the unelected bodies - so-called "regional chambers" - which have already been set up by Labour, at a cost of £30 million, with powers to interfere in the provision of housing, transport and planning.She said: "The transfer of powers to regional government by the Labour administration was predicated on the ultimate establishment of elected regional assemblies. Yet without such assemblies, there is a clear democratic deficit. The existing regional chambers have no accountability, no mandate and no legitimacy."The English people identify with their nation, and their cities, counties, boroughs and neighbourhoods, not with the government office regions. Power should reside at the same level at which people self-identify. I am therefore calling on you to abolish these regional chambers and give back to local councils the powers which have been seized."