With regard to the recent article and letter from Jon Underwood, the local prospective parliamentary candidate for the Lib Dems, and his castigating of Sara Randall-Johnson, the leader of East Devon District Council, who is trying to thwart a unitary council

With regard to the recent article and letter from Jon Underwood, the local prospective parliamentary candidate for the Lib Dems, and his castigating of Sara Randall-Johnson, the leader of East Devon District Council, who is trying to thwart a unitary council for Devon being imposed on us. I have to say I approve of her actions, though not necessarily for the same reason.Unitary councils are being imposed on counties throughout England, eg Cornwall, by the EU in line with the Maastricht Treaty, signed by the last Conservative government.This treaty provides for regional governments to be set up in England with direct control from Brussels; the National Government in Westminster thus becoming redundant in time.In a referendum in the North East, the local population demonstrated, overwhelmingly, they didn't want regional government but, as usual with anything to do with the EU, their views were ignored.Unitary councils are lauded as bringing local people a greater say in their affairs, common sense suggests the opposite, while bigger is not better as Heath showed with the Local Government reorganisation of the '70s. There is even an anti-democratic element in them with planned Town Community Boards consisting of appointees, typical of EU organisations.The protection of freedom and democracy, which is steadily being diminished in this country, is priceless. I hope the lady and EDDC succeed in maintaining the status quo.Jeremy AllisonChairman UKIP Axe Valley