So the hard sell has begun. The big guns in the shape of Deputy Prime Minister John Prescott and Minister of Local and Regional Government Nick Raynsford came out yesterday to push the idea of a Yorkshire and Humber Assembly.

The benefits claimed for a regional assembly are being dangled before us. Mr Raynsford told the T&A that this was a "great day for Bradford" and that "an elected regional assembly could well be a major factor in tackling the big issues".

Stirring words, but rather on the vague side and hardly unbiased. Mr Raynsford is Mr Prescott's deputy and regional assemblies are Mr Prescott's baby. He has persuaded Tony Blair to let the idea run and is desperately keen to make it happen.

So there is bound to be a lot of scepticism as to how impartial this "information campaign" is likely to be. Given the poor response to its previous consultation exercise, the Government is keen to engage the general public and get them motivated and excited.

But it is struggling. All it is offering is a vague notion of what this proposed new authority would do and what its powers would be. What the public wants to know is precisely which decisions will be taken away from their local authority and handed to a remote new tier of government and exactly how much it will add to their council-tax bill.

Until Mr Prescott and his team can back their case with hard facts they are going to have a tough job involving the public in this debate, let alone convincing them that the proposed change is in their interest.