PLAID Cymru Assembly Member Mohammad Asghar has defected to the Conservatives, it was announced today.

The Newport-based member for South Wales East was crossing to the Tory benches in the Senedd this morning.

The move - announced on the day Rhodri Morgan is due to stand down as First Minister - puts Plaid on 14 AMs and the Tories on 13. Plaid is in coalition with Labour in the Assembly.

Mr Asghar, known as Oscar around Cardiff Bay, told a press conference that he wanted a "strong Wales within a successful United Kingdom’’.

"For some time I have felt out of tune with the views and policies of Plaid Cymru,’’ he said.