A BATTLE plan to fight Labour's plans for regional government was agreed in Knutsford on Saturday.

But Tatton MP George Osborne said his constituents could be asked to help fund the campaign against the Government.

"We're going to write to business people and may ask those concerned about regional government for support," he said.

Campaigners met to discuss their strategy for success in next year's referendum at the Jubilee Hall in Stanley Road.

They want to set up a website by October and may ask those against regional government to pay £20 to join them. "We have a lot of popular support and we want to demonstrate that to the Government," he said.

The 'No' group want to defeat John Prescott's plan to carve England into regions with their own 'mini parliaments'.

Knutsford-based Forum of Private Business is likely to be asked to back their campaign.

Mr Osborne, who is leading the fight, is finalising their strategy and searching for an office.

Labour and Conservative MPs, councillors, a European MP and business leaders attended Saturday's meeting, but there was no Liberal-Democrat interest. "The most difficult hurdle was to find people from different backgrounds and areas who share the same objective," said Mr Osborne.

"We have done that now and I am confident we have a good team."

The Deputy Prime Minister has proposed the change, which would see Cheshire County Council scrapped.

It will cost at least £30million to set up an elected North West Regional Assembly.

Cheshire fears the county's vote will be swamped by Manchester and Merseyside, but there is opposition there too.

Mr Osborne, tipped as a future Tory leader, said ministers in the cities were against the plans for different reasons.

"It doesn't matter what angle we come at it from as long as we are opposed to the same thing," he said.

amoores@guardiangrp.co.uk