'Hardly anyone' will vote - Plaid

'Hardly anyone' will vote - Plaid

First Minister Rhodri Morgan says he wants 'more of same' for Wales

Plaid Cymru leader Ieuan Wyn Jones has predicted that "hardly anyone" will vote in the Welsh Assembly elections if they think Labour will win.

Mr Jones made the claim amid rising concerns about a low turnout in the poll on 1 May.

But First Minister Rhodri Morgan said he detected a "feel good factor" which would encourage voters to go to the polling booths.

They made their comments during a live televised debate on the BBC's Breakfast programme on Thursday, two weeks before polling day.

'More of same'

But while the Conservatives dismissed the idea of a feel good factor, the Liberal Democrats predicted more electors would turn out as they noticed the changes in Wales.

Mr Morgan said there were 60,000 more people in work than a year ago, with unemployment lower in Wales than in the rest of the UK, and "more of same" was wanted.

Real changes have been made here between England and Wales and people are beginning to notice that

Liberal Democrat Mike German

That was why Labour proposed more in-work benefits, such as abolishing prescription charges and free breakfasts, which would encourage people to take up jobs.

The Plaid president said: "I think we have to offer them something different than we've had during the past four years," said Mr Jones.

'Real hope'

"If Rhodri thinks we are going to have more of the same for the next four years, hardly anyone is going to bother and come out to vote."

Mr Jones said there had to be attention to public services, more capacity in the health service to tackle "massive" waiting lists, while prosperity had gone down.

"We've got to give people real hope for the future," said Mr Jones.

Nick Bourne, leader of the Tory group in the assembly, was asked about the criticism of the campaign as boring by his predecessor Rod Richards. Mr Bourne said: "It's important that people vote but I can understand why people are disenchanted."

'Candyfloss'

He attacked the "dreadfully bad" performance of Labour and the Lib Dems, who have been in coalition in the assembly government for the past two-and-a-half years.

Mr Bourne criticised the money put aside for the new assembly chamber when it should be put into the health service, and said his opponents' promises were "candyfloss".

Mr Bourne also criticised Labour's scrapping of prescription charges. He said they had to be paid for and that meant longer waiting lists.

Plaid Cymru leader Ieuan Wyn Jones says he offers something different

Mike German, leader of the Liberal Democrats in the assembly, said people were concerned about health and education, and they now understood that the assembly was responsible for these.

"If you are interested in smaller class sizes, or if you are interested in ensuring that young people have things to do that keep them occupied, if you want to have dignity for elder people, that's a way of making sure that people come out to vote because that relates to their everyday lives," said Mr German.

Mr Morgan said Wales had tried a minority Labour government, then a coalition, and he believed people were now ready to "allow" Labour to run Wales as a majority party.

He said he was confident that the party could turn the feel good factor on the streets into a good turnout of Labour voters on 1 May.

'Shaky start'

But Mr Bourne said he did not notice a feel good factor, and people rightly "moaned" to him about the performance of the Lib-Lab assembly government. The main issue, he said, was "value for money".

Mr Jones said it was typically arrogant of Labour to think that people wanted a "one-party state" ruled by Labour. "It's very important that the people of Wales have a choice and that's between a discredited Labour Party that's failed the people of Wales and Plaid Cymru, which will offer them hope."

And Mr German said the assembly had had a "very shaky start", and it was not until there had been firm government with an absolute majority that a difference had been made.

"Real changes have been made here between England and Wales and people are beginning to notice that, and of course the more that people vote in this election the more they are going to get smaller class sizes, dignity for elderly people and care for younger people."