Labour and Plaid clash in row over campaign leaflet

Labour and Plaid Cymru are locked in a row about dirty tricks over an assembly election campaign leaflet.

The leaflet, which attacks shadow Welsh Secretary Peter Hain, has been posted on the internet.

It calls on voters to deny Labour a majority and accuses Mr Hain of plotting behind the back of Welsh Labour leader Carwyn Jones.

Plaid Cymru strongly denied a Labour MP's claim that it was responsible for the leaflet.

It gives instructions on how to vote tactically in key seats to stop Labour from winning a majority on 5 May.

Speaking in the House of Commons, Labour's Chris Bryant accused the office of Plaid leader Ieuan Wyn Jones of being behind it.

But Plaid has fiercely denied having anything to do with either the leaflet or a website called United and Welsh where it appears.

The site says it is promoted by an "alliance of concerned citizens" who "believe that the Labour Party is not ready to govern alone at this election".

The United and Welsh website was registered on 1 April to the same address as the constituency office of Plaid leader Ieuan Wyn Jones in Llangefni, Anglesey. The leaflet appeared on a blog a day earlier.

Mr Bryant used a point of order in the House of Commons on Tuesday to allege Mr Jones's office was behind it.

He said: "The website, it turns out, is not quite so anonymous, because it has clearly been produced by people working in the office of the leader of the Welsh nationalists, Mr Ieuan Wyn Jones, so I can only presume that since he and his office are now urging people to vote Conservative in constituencies in Wales that they intend now to be joining the government benches."

A Plaid spokesman said: "Plaid Cymru has no connection whatsoever with this website or its content."

Mr Hain said: "I accept Ieuan Wyn Jones's word that he was not personally involved in any of this.

"But it is clear there are people seeking to promote a Nationalist-Tory-Lib Dem coalition who are willing to engage in dirty tricks."

Plaid has said that it would be difficult to talk to the Conservatives after the election because of the actions of the UK government.