The long-running campaign for Southport to leave Merseyside was given a boost by a joint letter from Southport's Tory MP, Damien Moore, and West Lancs Labour MP Rosie Cooper.
The pair have told Communities Secretary Michael Gove they want Southport to join forces with Ormskirk and Skelmersdale to become one authority within Lancashire.
Ms Cooper said: "In West Lancashire, we are stuck in the no man's land between Liverpool, Manchester and Preston. We need to be treated more fairly as these huge metropolitan areas use much of the available resources, leaving so very little for rural towns and villages that we have to fight for their leftover scraps.
"I am supporting this campaign because the smaller towns such as Ormskirk, Skelmersdale and Southport and our villages need to combine forces, acting together so that our voice can be as loud and strong as possible and heard by our Metropolitan neighbours.”
Ever since Southport became part of Merseyside in 1974, there has been a movement by proud Lancastrians who want to move back into their historic county. But they've been accused of snobbery towards Bootle and Liverpool by people who think Sandgrounders believe they're "a cut above" Scousers.
What do you think? Does it make sense for Southport to break away from Merseyside? Should the rest of Sefton, including Formby, Crosby, Bootle, and Maghull, become part of the city of Liverpool?
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