Uncertainty over the Labour leadership in Wales is contributing to a "woeful" performance by the devolved administration, the Conservatives have claimed.

Conservative assembly leader Nick Bourne said Rhodri Morgan and Peter Hain should be concentrating on governing Wales.

But he said the first minister was now planning for his retirement in 2008, while the Wales secretary is "desperate" to become the next Labour deputy leader.

"Rhodri Morgan and Peter Hain must accept that their woeful performances have lumbered the people of Wales with a tired first minister and a Welsh secretary who is desperately trying to manoeuvre himself into position to become deputy prime minister," said Bourne.

"What they should be doing is concentrating on improving local public services instead of procrastinating about their own futures.

"As the first minister thumbs through holiday brochures for his retirement and the Welsh secretary plots his next career move, they have left us with a health service creaking under the strain of government incompetence and with massive uncertainty over the future of policing in Wales."

He added that their minds "seem to be anywhere but on the job of governing Wales".

"It is surely in the national interest for them to end the uncertainty about their futures as a matter of urgency," claimed Bourne.