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Jenny Randerson – the former Acting Deputy First Minister who became a Wales Office minister – has intervened in the Assembly election campaign to urge Labour supporters to lend the Liberal Democrats their votes on the regional list in a bid to stop Ukip winning AMs.

The former Cardiff Central AM who is now a member of the House of Lords argues that Labour voters have the power to “stop Ukip”.

(Image: Andrew James)

Baroness Randerson said: “The truth is that Labour voters can stop Ukip gaining large numbers of Assembly Members. The power, so to speak, is in their hands.

“Even Labour insiders know, in their heart of hearts, that it’s unlikely that they will pick up regional Assembly Members. Therefore, Labour voters must consider lending their regional vote to the Welsh Liberal Democrats to stop Ukip.

“We are confident we can win constituency seats, but in some regions the battle for the fourth seat is between Ukip and the Welsh Liberal Democrats. It’s a clear choice.

“If Ukip don’t represent your values, then people really must vote tactically.”

'Complete chaos'

She continued: “Almost on a daily basis here in Wales we are seeing Ukip in complete chaos. Their mission may to be to divide communities, but at the moment it’s their own party that is divided.

“Kirsty Williams was absolutely right in the leaders’ debate to raise the question of whether Ukip Assembly Members would even turn up.”

Ukip: 'You are not God, Ms Randerson'

A Ukip spokeswoman responded with a furious attack on Ms Randerson’s call for Labour supporters to vote Lib Dem, saying: “Hang on there Jenny – isn’t this the same Ukip who got almost four million votes in the General Election to be elected convincingly the third biggest party in the UK, who easily beat Plaid and the Lib Dems in Wales in the previous two elections, whose policies are distinct and appealing to people who haven’t gone to the ballot box in decades and who rightfully deserve there place in the Assembly after May? And yet you are suggesting your voters play games to try to deny a very significant proportion of the electorate, over one in six people, due representation?”

She added: “You are not God, Ms Randerson, and your supporters should hold you in contempt for encouraging them to derail democracy by usurping others’ rights to see their vote for the party of their choice translated into seats. You should be ashamed.”

Labour: 'These are rejected Tories'

(Image: Richard Swingler)

Eluned Morgan, a Labour member of the House of Lords and former MEP who hopes to become a Mid and West Wales AM, said: “There’s no way I’m going endorse Labour supporters voting for Lib Dems in any way, shape or form for any reason.”

If people want to stop Ukip winning AMs, Baroness Morgan said: “I’d recommend that they don’t vote Ukip. That’s the obvious place to start.”

Turning her guns on the anti-EU party, she said: “I think it’s really important people understand, not just about the party itself but what kind of people they are putting forward, and these are rejected Tories and I think it’s really, really important people understand that – in particular people who may be tempted from Labour to vote for Ukip for all kinds of different reasons.”