The plans of Somerset County Council to form a single unitary council in its existing geographical area have several serious flaws – but the biggest of all is the geography. Somerset County Council does not represent all of Somerset just a chunk of it, carved up and chopped about from 1974 onwards. It does not include North Somerset or Bath and North-East Somerset (two other unitaries). “One Somerset” is a clever name, but it doesn’t do what it says on the tin. By contrast the proposals of the District councils include brokering talks about unity with the two existing unitaries. Perhaps, if the Government takes a stand, we can begin to get our old county back. Somerset is the place where King Alfred planned his battles to rid the nation of the Vikings. Somerset deserves reuniting. That is why I posed a question today to my colleague Somerset MP and Leader of the Commons Jacob Rees-Mogg. I began by reminding the House about the last serious Somerset earthquake – in December last year, just before SCC launched its plans for a single unitary: