YORKSHIRE could be a step closer to having its own regional government.

This prospect follows an announcement from the Government of a further round of devolution after Scottish and Welsh home rule.

When it came to power, New Labour pledged to create elected assemblies where there was demand, and after being lost in the long grass of politics, this proposal is being considered again.

Deputy Prime Minister John Prescott is said to be determined to complete "unfinished business" by letting people vote in referendums to decide how they should be governed. The theory is that English devolution will counter the "Whitehall knows best" culture.

The North East is likely to be the first region to hold a referendum, with the possibility that Yorkshire, the North West and the South West would follow.

While the many implications for a Yorkshire assembly would have to be thrashed out in detail, this certainly seems to be an idea whose time has come. Yorkshire devolution would allow the region to speak up for itself, to present its people better and to generally give a stronger voice for the North. The people of Yorkshire would be able to make decisions for Yorkshire, rather than picking up the semaphore from Whitehall.

In theory, this would be local government given real powers and the chance truly to make a difference. And if Yorkshire does one day have an assembly, York would be the obvious location. The ancient capital of Yorkshire would proudly host this new expression of local democracy, and there could not be a finer or more appropriate city in which to site such an assembly.

Of course, the small-print will have to be pored over. One implication is that there would no longer be a need for county government - so North Yorkshire County Council would become redundant.

Also, some Conservatives fear that the empowered regions would cultivate stronger links with the EU, thus bypassing national government. And Yorkshire covers a huge and diverse mass of urban and rural areas, which could be difficult to govern.

All such worries should be taken seriously, but regional government is an idea we should broadly welcome.

It's our turn now.

Updated: 12:16 Thursday, May 09, 2002