Pensions secretary Andrew Smith has hailed the partnership between Labour leaders in Westminster and Wales.

Visiting Cardiff ahead of the forthcoming elections to the assembly, the Cabinet minister said first minister Rhodri Morgan was working closely with colleagues in London.

"The partnership between Labour in Westminster and Wales is bringing real, solid benefits to families," Smith said.

"Rhodri Morgan's team, working constructively with Westminster colleagues, are delivering distinctively Welsh policies, creating better schools, better hospitals, more jobs and safer communities for Wales."

And he warned that support for Plaid Cymru or the Welsh Conservatives would deflect attention from the need to focus on improving public services.

"Could anyone imagine Wales' ragbag of opponents persuading Gordon Brown to give Wales the record settlements it has had? They would just pick pointless fights," Smith said.

And he also highlighted Labour's key aim of taking enough seats in the assembly to form a majority administration, ending the current partnership government with the Liberal Democrats.

"Wales needs to elect a Labour majority government on May 1 to achieve its ambitious programme," said Smith.