David Hanson

As election campaigning enters the final three days, a new opinion poll has indicated that Labour remains in a dominant position in Wales.

The all-Wales poll for HTV found that of those intending to vote, 53 per cent supported Labour, 18 per cent backed the Conservatives, 14 per cent favoured Plaid Cymru, and Liberal Democrat support was at 12 per cent. Other parties received a two per cent share of support.

The figures show Labour support dropping slightly from the figures recorded in a poll for Wales on Sunday of May 27 which put them on a 58 per cent share of the vote in Wales. However, support for other parties appears to have barely moved since the earlier poll.

The poll also indicates a slight drop in support for Labour since the 1997 election.

Commenting after the poll was released, Welsh secretary Paul Murphy warned Labour supporters that a few thousand votes could affect the result in a large number of Welsh constituencies.

"This poll shows that there is everything still to play for in Wales at this election and also confirms that the central contest is between Labour and the Tories," said Murphy.

Richard Livsey, leader of the Welsh Lib Dems said: "This poll is great news. We have three days of campaigning left and we are level with our vote from the last general election."

The opinion poll comes as Welsh Labour and Plaid Cymru have claimed to be challenging each other in key seats held by their opponents.

As Welsh Office minister David Hanson visited Anglesey, Labour claimed it is level pegging in the Ynys Mon constituency, which the nationalists won in 1997.

On Sunday, Plaid's candidate in Rhondda, Leanne Wood, said her party was "running neck and neck" with Labour in the constituency and claimed the result was too close to call.

"Only Plaid Cymru can take on New Labour and win in the Valleys," said Wood, whose party scored a shock victory in the constituency in the 1999 Welsh assembly elections.

In Ynys Mon, Plaid's candidate Eilian Williams is defending a majority of 2481 over Labour, though Plaid no longer has the "big name" draw of party president Ieuan Wyn Jones in the seat. He is standing down from Westminster to concentrate on the Welsh assembly.

Welsh Labour claimed their own polling figures put them level pegging with Plaid Cymru in the constituency. Hanson said people on the island wanted to be part of a Labour government.

"The nationalists have represented Anglesey in parliament for 14 years, yet they taken the views of its people for granted, and failed to deliver on their priorities. A Labour MP, as part of a second Labour government, would have the ear of ministers and would provide the island with a strong voice for the constituency," said Hanson.

Anglesey also received a visit from Conservative campaign leader in Wales Nigel Evans who will be accompanying his party's local candidate, Albie Fox, on a visit to Anglesey Zoo. The Conservative's will be focussing on agriculture and tourism.

In south Wales, Labour also sought to keep the pressure on Plaid Cymru with campaigning in Wales by a number of big names, including education and employment secretary David Blunkett and One Foot in the Grave star Richard Wilson.

Speaking ahead of his visit to Caerphilly and Cardiff, Blunkett told voters: "It's vital to secure the re-election of a Labour government to ensure that education remains the number one priority for Wales and Britain as a whole."

Welsh secretary Paul Murphy has also emailed hundreds of Labour activists in Wales warning them to ignore opinion polls and concentrate on the party's key issues of health, education and the economy.

Murphy accused the Conservatives and Plaid Cymru of being "employed in a deliberate campaign to discourage Labour voters from taking part in this election."

The email came after Ieuan Wyn Jones, Plaid Cymru's president, said a Labour victory was a "forgone conclusion" and that their majority could increase. He argued the people of Wales were turning to Plaid Cymru as the party that would stand up for Wales in the event of a Blair victory.

On Monday Plaid Cymru was concentrating on public services as they continued to campaign in Rhondda. Speaking ahead of his visit to the area, Ieuan Wyn Jones said voting for his party was the only way to guarantee better schools and hospitals.

"There is an unprecedented level of frustration in our front line health and education services. New Labour is good on honeyed words and glossy brochures but totally inadequate in dealing with the real issues facing our teachers and health care workers," said Jones.

Liberal Democrat leader Charles Kennedy was also campaigning in Wales on Monday, promoting Lib Dem policies to improve public services.