THE government's management of the countryside and economy has done enormous damage to Wales over the past four years, Tory peer Lord Walker claimed today.

The former Welsh Secretary said: "The Welsh countryside has been impoverished by four years of farm incomes which are inadequate to provide a reasonable standard of living to those involved in hill farming throughout the Principality."

Lord Walker told a meeting in Brecon: "The mismanagement of the foot-and-mouth outbreak and the inadequate compensation has brought final destruction to many farmers.

"For the first time for 70 years we are moving to a phase where farms could well be abandoned."

Lord Walker said that the government had reversed the progress made for Wales to become a successful diversified economy.

"Manufacturing in Wales has been hit as hard, if not harder, than manufacturing throughout the UK. Half of the steel industry in Wales is about to close.

"Overseas investors who came in during the Conservative years announce redundancies as they are crippled by Labour mismanagement of manufacturing industry."

He went on: "The electors of Wales should dramatically illustrate their displeasure in this election so that whoever governs after June 7 will return to the progress that was being made under Conservative governments for Wales to become one of the most successful and prosperous regions of Europe."