Rhodri Morgan has highlighted Labour's pledge to end prescription charges in Wales as the build up to May's assembly election continues.

Voters were given an "absolute pledge" by the Welsh first minister that existing charges would be scrapped.

The move came as the party announced its 10 key pledges for the next assembly term.

Labour says the medicine charges are likely to be phased out over the life of the next four-year assembly term.

The move will potentially benefit more than one and a half million people, Morgan said.

Highlighting his links to Labour's roots, the first minister said the election pledge had been "Nye Bevan's great dream".

He said the move would also benefits thousands of people with chronic health conditions who currently pay large drugs bills.

"We have a huge legacy of ill health because of our industrial past," said Morgan.

"This will also feed into our move towards full employment. It will help make work pay, helping people get off benefits and into work. Everyone should have the self-confidence and benefits of working.

"I give my absolute pledge that if we are returned to power on May 1 we will sweep away all prescription charges."

But Mike German, Welsh Liberal Democrat leader in the assembly, accused Labour Party ignoring key long term issues in their 10 pledges.

He said they had failed to mention school class sizes or care for the elderly.

"Labour are shouting loudly, but they're not really saying very much," said German.