Forty four years ago today, April 1st 1974, the 1972 Local Government Act came into force, abolishing many county councils.
The Act did not abolish the historic, proper counties which had existed for hundreds of years prior to county councils being formed in 1888.
Proper, real Yorkshire - and other counties including Lancashire, still and always will exist.
You cannot abolish or hack off parts of Yorkshire, Lancashire or any other county.
Administrative changes complicate and confuse matters whilst the problem is added to by the continual use of maps referring to administrative counties and economic regions.
Real Yorkshire remains that of the Ridings, and Lancashire remains between the Mersey and the Duddon.
Indeed Yorkshire and Lancashire loyalists are united in appreciating and valuing the real counties.