the rejection of regional government was three fold:
> it would just be another layer of government. (already have local and national, neither of which would change)
> it wouldn't result in any meaningful addition to the prinicple of localism. (regional gov't does nothing to put more power in those hands who can usefully wield it, i.e. local MP's
> it was an artificial construct. (there was no connection to a regional representative, he didn't belong to your county, and cared nothing for your town).

I opposed labours regional Gov't, it was a terrible idea, but that does nothing to devalue properly implemented localism.