 The Welsh assembly has fewer powers than the Scottish Parliament |
The future of the Welsh assembly has ignited as a general election issue, with Plaid Cymru and Labour swapping insults. Plaid accused Labour of a "sham" to hide party splits. But Labour said that was "baloney" and Plaid wanted to "bulldoze" change before asking voters.
Liberal Democrats backed extra assembly powers to enable it to "create a vision and a future for Wales".
Conservatives claimed Labour had lost the trust of the people of Wales.
 |  What Plaid Cymru seem to be saying is we should just... bulldoze the people of Wales into a Scottish Parliament-type arrangement |
Plaid launched its attack by claiming Labour was "all talk" on the future of the assembly, but planning little real change. In its manifesto Labour promised "a stronger assembly with enhanced legislative powers" if it won a third term.
But Ieuan Wyn Jones, leader of Plaid in the assembly, said Labour should "come clean" and publish their exact proposals before polling day on 5 May.
Mr Jones said he had confidential information that Labour would "ditch" a law-making parliament and possibly put forward a "cobbled-up idea" of First Minister Rhodri Morgan's to hide the party's "deep splits".
 Peter Hain supports law-making powers for AMs in Cardiff Bay |
"Let them come to the people of Wales with a clear document," he said. "And then the people of Wales will know exactly on 5 May what they are voting for.
But Welsh Secretary Peter Hain accused him of being "rather shifty," and said the Plaid leader "hasn't a clue" what was being prepared.
Labour was "crystal clear" about its plans, said Mr Hain. "Our intention is right away from next year to start drafting Westminster bills in a more permissive way giving the assembly greater powers and greater autonomy and discretion over what it does".
Mr Hain reaffirmed his own support for assembly law-making powers, but said a referendum would be needed before taking that step.
"What Plaid Cymru seem to be saying is we should just put a government logo on the Richard Commission report (recommending extra powers) and bulldoze the people of Wales into a Scottish Parliament-type arrangement without consulting people and without a manifesto commitment and without the subsequent inspection and scrutiny of a white paper."
| If Peter Hain wants to talk about trust then he should explain why people no longer believe anything the Labour Party says or does |
Mr Hain also claimed Tories were "spreading lies" about rates of the "superbug" MRSA rates, having claimed there were 125 cases in the trust of Conwy, when in fact there were only 25. But the Tories hit back by claiming Mr Hain was trying to "deflect attention away from his own government's failures and eight years of broken promises".
 Plaid Cymru says voters should know Labour's plans before 5 May |
Conservatives have admitted making a mistake in leaflets about MRSA, but said they were angry about the the thousand of people who died every year in Britain from hospital-acquired infections. Welsh Tories said MRSA had become "endemic" in hospitals, waiting lists were up 73% since May 1999, and more people had to use life savings to pay for private health treatment.
Nick Bourne, leader of the assembly Tories, said: "If Peter Hain wants to talk about trust then he should explain why people no longer believe anything the Labour Party says or does.
"Mr Hain clearly doesn't like it when we focus on the issues that really matter to the people of Wales. He doesn't like it when we remind them of how they've run the health service into the ground." As Lib Dems launched its party's plans for business, including cutting red tape, Brecon and Radnorshire candidate Roger Williams said his party wanted the assembly to gain powers similar to the Scottish Parliament.
On the question of tax-varying powers he said: "We believe that that should be an option for the Welsh people. But we certainly wouldn't make any move in that direction without a referendum.
"That's for the Welsh people to consider and decide upon. We have supported the Richard Commission and we would be looking to implement it.
"The conclusions are well supported by the Welsh people. It would raise the tone and the status of the assembly.
"It would be able to create a vision and a future for Wales if it was able to have those powers."
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