A MAJOR convention will be held in York as momentum gathers in the fight for a Yorkshire parliament.

The Campaign for Yorkshire and the Humber is to host the convention to gauge support and discuss how such a regional government might work.

Jane Thomas, director of the campaign, whose post is funded by the Joseph Rowntree Reform Trust, has announced a date for a large scale convention to be held in York.

She hopes that up to 200 people from trades unions, different faiths, all political parties, voluntary groups and elected local representatives will attend the convention at the College of Ripon and York St John on October 21.

She told supporters at a York meeting last night: "I think a regional government for Yorkshire is more likely to happen under a Labour government.

"The time is ripe because we've got the opportunity to pressurise the Labour government to put it in their manifesto."

During the meeting at York's Priory Street Centre, discussion touched on the influence of Scottish and Welsh devolution on the debate.

Lord Dick Newby, Liberal Democrat peer, said: "We mustn't let the media get away with saying that Scotland and Wales are failures.

"We shouldn't feel that because there have been arguments about things they haven't worked, that is the purpose of democracy."

The discussion also focused on the imbalance of centralising economic and political power in the south.

Lord Newby said: "At the moment decisions are made by Whitehall and regional quangos. I think most people would like the idea that the decision making was closer to home.

"Unfortunately the attitude in London is this is a pathetic game people in the North want to be involved with. That is the prevalent view amongst many progressive and liberal people who you'd think might be progressive about that."

"We want control of our own transport, environment, sport, culture and further education," said Jane Thomas.

"These things shouldn't be determined by people in London who probably never come up here."

And Paul Jagger, regional secretary of the TUC, said: "We need to repatriate power from where it lies in non-elected bodies and bring it back to the regions."

Meanwhile the meeting was reminded of those who are not Yorkshire born and bred.

Neil Irving, a North Yorkshire resident but not a native, said: "There are plenty of people who live in Yorkshire who weren't born and brought up here but have a great allegiance with the area who don't want to be excluded."