Recent English flooding strengthens the case for Regional Devolution

Last month's floods saw frightening images for many Brits.  Living in the North West of England, I have to say I am a very lucky boy.  

Arguments ensued on how politicians on the Conservative side of the Coalition Government were slow to visit affected areas such as the Somerset levels, which happen to have four constituencies held by Liberal Democrat MPs.  Other arguments put forward suggested that Prime Minister David Cameron conveniently visited flood affected visits to display his wellies in what happens also to be Tory heartlands.

This is all further evidence that Britain is too densely populated an island not to have further devolution in the English regions.  The United Kingdom as a whole has a population in excess of 63 Million.  Breaking this down, over two thirds of Brits live outside of either London, Wales, Northern Ireland, or Scotland.  In addition to being the seat of Britain's Government, London also has an elected mayor and assembly.  Whilst Wales, Scotland, and Northern Ireland each have a national parliament or assembly with devolved powers, English regions don't have any regional devolution at all presently!

I am not going down the route of claiming that devolution would have altered nature.  What I am saying is that had the West Country (which includes the Somerset Levels) had a regional assembly, then arguments over whether Environment Secretary Owen Paterson visited affected areas a month too late, would be less significant.

The British flooding crisis has also seen disagreements between Lord Chris Smith (as Chairman of the unelected quango that is the Environment Agency) and Government ministers, who have been blaming each other.  Once again my belief is that Regional Devolution in distributing more power away from central government, would make such disagreements largely irrelevant.

It doesn't make much difference over whether one is scrutinising the decisions made by the British Government or the Environment Agency.  Both have come in for much deserved criticism.  Whilst Regional Assemblies and Governments won't alter nature, they are better placed to respond to crises of an environmental nature with more local implications.  THE WESTMINSTER VILLAGE HAS SHOWN ITSELF ONCE AGAIN TO BE TOO FAR DETACHED!