HEREFORDSHIRE could lose its identity to the urban areas of the West Midlands if regional government is introduced, the Bishop of Hereford has warned.
Speaking in the House of Lords, Bishop John Oliver supported amendments to legislation that could see a directly elected regional assembly created at the expense of local councils.
Bishop Oliver said: "We are entering a completely new world and I am deeply concerned about areas where there are huge tracts of empty countryside with relatively few people.
"The West Midlands is completely dominated by the Birmingham, Wolverhampton, Stoke-on-Trent conurbation."
However, a proposal supported by the Bishop that would require a two-thirds majority in a referendum for an assembly if fewer than 30 per cent of voters turned out was blocked by Labour and Liberal Democrat Peers.
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules hereComments are closed on this article