THE letter on Wednesday, February 12, from Derek Boden, leader of the self-appointed North West Regional Assembly, finishes with the quite disgraceful statement that "independent opinion polls show that support for regional government is high in the North-west".

The North West Regional Assembly have a poll on their own website, which is currently showing 81 per cent against a Regional Assembly. If the very leading question on the Assembly's non-independent poll is showing such a high percentage against, I find it hard to believe that truly independent polls show support.

There is also a Catch 22 situation involved in writing to John Prescott expressing a view either for or against a Regional Assembly. He's conducting a soundings exercise to see the level of interest in the subject.

Note that this is "interest", not the level of support for a Regional Assembly -- that would come later in a referendum. A view either for or against will be counted as "interest". Hence even expressing a "no interest" in an assembly will be counted as support for a referendum.

Richard Buttrey

Chairman UK Independence Party -- Mid Cheshire Branch

Marlborough Crescent

Grappenhall

Warrington

Cheshire