Labour ‘can offer an alternative’

Ed Miliband and Nick Clegg are campaigning for their parties in Wales

Labour leader Ed Miliband and Liberal Democrat leader Nick Clegg will hit the Welsh assembly election campaign trail on Wednesday.

Mr Miliband will join his party’s campaign in west Wales while Deputy Prime Minister Mr Clegg visits south Wales.

Plaid Cymru will pledge support for hospital services and the Tories will focus on the economy.

All four parties have now published their manifestos for the election.

It is Mr Miliband’s first visit of the campaign for the election on 5 May, when Labour hopes to win a majority in the assembly.

Welsh Labour leader Carwyn Jones has said a “comfortable working majority” is possible.

In a visit to Wales earlier this month, Mr Clegg said the Liberal Democrats, who have held six seats in the assembly since 1999, did not relish cutting public spending, but the UK government had to sort out the country’s finances.

Plaid will promise to protect local hospitals on Wednesday. It has rejected claims from Labour that it is scaremongering over the issue.

Conservatives in south west Wales will be talking about their plans to create a more sustainable economy.

Political leaders put aside party rivalries on Tuesday to demand all votes in the assembly election are counted overnight.

Returning officers in north Wales plan to start counting the day after polls close and have resisted calls to carry out the task overnight, as other regions intend.

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