SIR - Regarding Perry Austin-Clarke’s column (“Why breaking up is so very hard to do”, T&A, March 21), I beg to differ and fully support the joint efforts of the two Conservative MPs within the Bradford Metro area, Philip Davies (Shipley) and Kris Hopkins (Keighley).

Only two years back Philip Davies asked Bradford Met for the total value of domestic rates collected by them from his Shipley constituency. He got a totally unacceptable rubbish answer; Bradford’s finance department could not extract a simple amount from their sophisticated computer system.

Bradford Council dare not reveal what they take and what the costs of council services sent back to Shipley are. A very large slice goes to inner Bradford wards voting Labour; it is akin to the Barnet Formula going annually to Scotland.

Shipley and Keighley are jointly being ripped off before our very eyes.

Shipley and Keighley electors want a local referendum on their local government future at the May 2018 elections.

Alan Chapman, Beck Lane, Bingley