Parties try to kick-start campaign

Lib Dems Kirsty Williams and Mike German want more health staff

The key issues of health and crime were both highlighted by the main political parties as campaigners tried to inject life into the Welsh Assembly campaign.

After criticism of a lacklustre start, all the major parties addressed some of their core concerns amid heightened concern about a low turnout on 1 May.

The Liberal Democrats threw the spotlight on their plans for more health staff and Plaid Cymru concentrated on making the streets safer.

The Conservatives protested that north Wales had been ignored by the Welsh Assembly Government, while Labour said it would scrap home care charges for disabled people.

'Golden opportunity'

The Lib Dems visited Prince Philip Hospital, Llanelli, and released "wanted" posters calling for an extra 8,000 doctors, nurses and clinical staff.

Scrapping home care charges for disabled people in Wales is fair and just

Labour's Jane Hutt

Mike German, leader of the party in the assembly - where it has been in coalition with Labour - said, "The Welsh Lib Dems in Government have made a start, but what the NHS here needs is more capacity, more doctors, more nurses, more clinical staff in the front-line treating the sick.

"Our doctors and nurses work so hard, yet waiting times remain unacceptable. Wales has a golden opportunity in this election to raise the capacity of NHS by backing the Welsh Lib Dems."

'Minority of thugs'

Plaid Cymru leader Ieuan Wyn Jones was in south Wales, visiting residents in Treforest, Pontypridd, who say they have been plagued by stone-throwing youths.

Plaid Cymru's Ieuan Wyn Jones wants more bobbies on the beat

Mr Jones said too many people were having their lives turned into nightmares by "a tiny minority of thugs".

He said Plaid Cymru would press for policing to be devolved from Westminster to the assembly to allow local communities to set their own priorities for crime reduction.

"A Plaid-led government is committed to having more bobbies on the beat and making sure that our streets become far safer places."

'Isolation'

Nick Bourne, leader of the Tories in the assembly, complained about "the isolation of north Wales". Speaking in Abergele, Mr Bourne criticised the fact that there was no-one from north Wales in the assembly cabinet.

He called for the full assembly to meet in North Wales at least once a year.

Mr Bourne also wanted improvements to north-south links, and a task force to ensure the proper use of European money. Labour reaffirmed its commitment to cancel home care fees for disabled people.

'Fair and just'

Vale of Glamorgan candidate Jane Hutt said: "Our commitment to scrapping home care charges for disabled people in Wales is fair and just and will be widely welcomed by the thousands of people entitled to disability benefits."

Meanwhile, international election advisers will visit Wales next week as part of a mission looking at the 1 May elections to the assembly and the Scottish Parliament.

Officials from the Warsaw-based Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights will hold discussions with a wide range of individuals involved in the electoral process.

Meetings are planned with the Electoral Commission, electoral administrators and media figures, as well as candidates and other representatives of political parties. There will also be a visit to the assembly chamber in Cardiff Bay.

They will be in Wales on 25-26 April, before moving on to Northern Ireland and Scotland.