I write in response to your leading article about fiscal devolution (The YP, July 19) and comments attributed by The YP to Lisa Nandy on the same subject.

You make the case for devolution (backed by significant distributed funding) to regions. I agree - provided the regions are large enough.

The UK is only big enough for a handful of regions - Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland already exist (smallish in population terms); but England is being steadily balkanised into combined authorities and various mayoral fiefs and this is the problem - they are too diverse and too small, and the boundaries cause too much friction.

Labour will not pursue further devolution of tax which could see mayors reinvest money that is raised locally, Lisa Nandy said. PIC: Hollie Adams/Getty Images

There's only room for about four English regions - North, Midlands, South-East (including London) and South-West. These would be big enough to have proper elected governments which would take over most powers from Whitehall and which would allocate funding across their whole territory.

The current mishmash is just a classic example of Whitehall divide-and-rule. Until proper regions are established I am glad to hear funding will be retained in the centre.

Fiscal devolution won’t work because England has been balkanised - Yorkshire Post Letters