The Welsh Assembly Government has achieved the impossible - it has made Tony Blair look reasonable Iain Duncan Smith, Conservative Party leader

Speaking to Welsh Conservatives in Cardiff, he labelled the Welsh Assembly Government "incompetent".

The second-ever election to the body, led by Labour and the Liberal Democrats in coalition, takes place on 1 May.

At the Welsh Tories' annual conference, Mr Duncan Smith also said Britain was at risk from Saddam Hussein's weapons of mass destruction and reaffirmed support for the UK Government on Iraq.

'Iron fist'

After a week of infighting over his ability as leader, Mr Duncan Smith turned the spotlight on Cardiff Bay's Lib/Lab coalition.

Rhodri Morgan leads the assembly in coalition

"The iron fist of Rhodri Morgan dominates every decision," he told delegates at City Hall.

"The heavy and incompetent hand of government stifles every initiative.

"The Welsh Assembly Government has achieved the impossible - it has made Tony Blair look reasonable.

"They are slowly turning Wales in to a laboratory where all the worst excesses and instincts of the Labour and Liberal parties are being tested to destruction."

'Solution'

The Conservative leader said it was little wonder that devolution had been discredited in so many people's eyes.

But he said anyone who believed the assembly was still unnecessary would not solve this by failing to vote.

"You can begin to solve it by voting for the only credible alternative, the Welsh Conservatives," he countered.

The Tories hold just one of the assembly's constituency seats and eight by proportional representation.

'Crises'

Tory assembly leader Nick Bourne earlier criticised Mr Morgan for being "nowhere to be seen" when he was needed to deal with such crises as foot-and-mouth.

Troops just don't understand why some of the public, some sections of the press and some of the political parties are not backing them Iain Duncan Smith

"But he'll readily get involved in issues where his opinions are not wanted..." said Mr Bourne.

"... meddling in the affairs of the Welsh Rugby Union and causing great offence to players and fans alike with his inane ramblings."

He said of Mr Duncan Smith: "He has our total and united support. I hope that message goes back to Westminster."

Iraq

Mr Duncan Smith added "evil tyrant" Saddam Hussein has the "means, the mentality and the motive to cause just as much harm to people in this country" with weapons he has built up over the years.

But he said British troops he visited last week felt they lacked public support.

"One seaman on the Ark Royal told me that they just don't understand why some of the public, and sections of the press, and some of the political parties, are not backing them," he said.

"There is no question that the Conservative party will give its full support to our troops."

Shadow Foreign Secretary Theresa May and party chairman Michael Ancram were amongst the Conservative big guns to plead for "unity" at Cardiff on Friday and Saturday.