Letter Published in todays WEP

Dear Editor, I am writing in response to your front page article WEP 10th March "Political Figures on Collision Course" over the disagreement between Wigan's MP Lisa Nandy and Wigan Council Leader Lord Smith over the proposed unelected Mayor of "Greater Manchester" until possibly 2019. Wigan's MP Lisa Nandy is clearly 100% correct to question this appointment as "ridiculous" when the people of Wigan have had no say. How undemocratic can you get when the people are denied a vote as to who they want as their Mayor ? Its almost a "regional" dictatorship. Is it any surprise "His Lordship" who also sits in the House of Lords as an unelected peer is promoting such an undemocratic concept ? The majority that live in Wigan Borough have no or little affiliation to the City of Manchester. Since 1974 the people of the borough have been denied a say as to whether Wigan wants to be part of this false region of "Greater Manchester". Wiganer's associate themselves rightly with the County of Lancashire so is it any wonder when national TV news crews visited Wigan recently on this subject Wiganer's gave a clear thumbs down to this devolution proposal. Its time the people of Wigan Borough were given a referendum as to whether we leave Greater Manchester altogether as our membership has been detrimental economically, socially and culturally and to allow our links to the County of Lancashire to be strengthened which is something hundreds have already committed their support to. Best wishes Michael Moulding