Rhodri Morgan has been asked to remember north Wales

As Labour celebrate a triumphant night in the Welsh assembly their leader Rhodri Morgan has come under pressure to acknowledge AMs from the north of the country.

The most northerly constituency represented on Mr Morgan's first assembly cabinet was Pontypridd, in the south Wales valleys.

Newly-elected Conservative AM Mark Isherwood said poor turn-out across the region could be blamed on people feeling there is a divide between north and south.

"This is a massive problem up here which is responsible for the low turn-out especially in north east Wales," said Mr Isherwood, who will represent North Wales in Cardiff after he won his place from the regional list.

Public apathy

The Flintshire-based father-of-six added: "I'm determined to fight for north Wales and give it a strong voice in Cardiff.

"We must fight to ensure the failure of the past four years is not duplicated."

However, speaking to BBC Radio Wales, Rhodri Morgan refused to say whether he would include politicians from north Wales in his cabinet.

Rather, he said personal research had proved the electorate in north Wales blamed the media for fuelling the north/south divide debate and not the Welsh assembly.

They had six weeks to introduce me to the electorate so John Marek had the popular vote...the low turnout didn't help me Lesley Griffiths

Whatever the reason for public apathy, candidates across the main political parties agree that the issue needs to be addressed.

Only 36% of the electorate across Wales made it to vote - 10% fewer than in the 1999 election.

Alyn and Deeside in Flintshire recorded the lowest turnout across Wales.

Just 25% of the electorate went to the polling stations.

Labour's candidate in Wrexham Lesley Griffiths - who failed in her campaign after John Marek took the seat as an Independent - blamed voter complacency for Labour's defeat in the town.

Labour candidate Lesley Griffiths lost to John Marek

"They had six weeks to introduce me to the electorate so John Marek had the popular vote...the low turnout didn't help me," she said.

However, her opponent Dr Marek said the low return at the ballot box had nothing to do with disenchantment with the Cardiff administration but Labour in general.

"Wrexham people were well aware of the situation here, many may have stayed at home because they didn't want to vote for Labour," he said.

With Labour receiving 30 seats out of a possible 60, observers have been left wondering whether Mr Morgan will go it alone or form a coalition.

If Dr Marek had not been deselected from the Labour party he would have tipped them over the quota.

Many people have asked whether he will return to the fold - giving north Wales a bigger profile in the assembly.

Mr Morgan refused to be drawn on this issue and his former colleague Dr Marek said he would be surprised to be asked.

"I haven't been asked and it comes down to a question of policies," he said.

"I don't think Labour have any problems with 30 members, they can govern alone and Rhodri Morgan won't have any problems in the next four years."