Poll says Labour, bookies disagree (From Penarth Times)

Poll says Labour, bookies disagree

VALE of Glamorgan candidates for the forthcoming National Assembly elections were grilled last week by local people in a live television debate.

The ITV Wales programme The Sharp End was broadcast from the HTV studios at Culverhouse Cross on Thursday April 17.

The panel of politicians included the Conservatives' David Melding, Labour's Jane Hutt, Chris Franks for Plaid Cymru and Nilmini De Silva for the Welsh Liberal Democrats.

The studio audience was made up of local people with questions or statements they had on matters such as health and education.

As a result of the programme, a poll was carried out for HTV News on the Assembly election campaign in the Vale of Glamorgan.

It suggests that Health Minister Jane Hutt will hold her seat and increase her majority.

While bookies have made David Melding favourite, a sample of 1,200 electors interviewed by NOP gives Jane Hutt a 14-point lead, attributing her increased hold to the 'Baghdad bounce' and a degree of post-war euphoria towards Labour as a whole.

The Vale of Glamorgan is one of Wales' most marginal seats and the intensity of this particular election is further highlighted by the Minister for Health having to defend her position against the Conservative spokesman for Health and Social Services.

With voter apathy a constant concern for politics, the poll revealed that 40 percent of the electorate were already certain they would vote on May 1.

But attitudes towards the Assembly are clearly divided.

When questioned, 35 percent wanted to see an Assembly with greater powers, while a third wanted the body abolished. But only 22 percent were content with the status quo.