A federal UK?

[Magdalia]

The South West (as it is defined for political reasons) has a slightly larger population than Scotland. Why shouldn't it have an assembly with similar powers?

the South West doesn't have the same sort of regional/national identity as Scotland. I don't detect South Westerners clamouring for a South West regional government.

What does Cornwall have in common with Surrey, for example.

What does Cornwall have in common with Bristol for example?

some places have directly elected mayors and most don't,

By the end of this parliament all of England will have a directly elected mayor.

some are also the local PCC, some aren't

Standardising that would require alignment of constabularies with mayors. It won't always be popular but I suspect that it will come. For example there is already a debate about whether the Norfolk and Suffolk constabularies should be merged so that the Norfolk+Suffolk mayor can be Police and Crime Commissioner for both.

 

[Noddy]

What does Cornwall have in common with Bristol for example?

You could pick many states in Germany or Canada, or India, or even Belgium and insert a rural administrative division and a city within those states to make exactly the same point.

To your point the reality is both are in the West Country (known as ‘the weste contre’ in the 15th century) which has for at least 500 years been recognised as a distinct regional part of England.