Welsh Conservative assembly leader Nick Bourne has said that right-wing criticism of David Cameron helps to convince the electorate that the party has changed.

Asked to respond to comments by senior Conservative MP Edward Leigh that core voters are being put off by the party's "softer" image and policies, Bourne said: "I think it demonstrates that the party is changing, so to that extent it is helpful.

"I don't think it was a plot between Edward Leigh and David Cameron to do that, but if you're saying this kind of criticism demonstrates the fact that as a party we are broadening our appeal and therefore it does us no harm then yes, to that extent I certainly do agree."

And Bourne said the party could not continue with the policies and image that lost them three consecutive general elections.

"Having gone into the last couple of elections offering the electorate ham and eggs, which was rejected, it doesn't help to offer them double ham and eggs at the next election," he said.

"I have always strongly felt that you do not win elections by making fewer and fewer people feel good about being Conservative."

As the assembly elections in May approach, Bourne said the minority Labour administration in Cardiff could be replaced by an alliance of Tory, Plaid Cymru and Liberal Democrat AMs.

"We have to look at the arithmetic on May 3 and there are various possibilities and I don't think you can discount the possibility of a grand coalition," he said.

"As assembly members we have to do what is in the best interests of the people of Wales, without being pompous about it we have a constitutional obligation to look at the results and say: How do we move on from here?

"I don't think a minority administration is a stable administration, we have one now that is only just a minority. If they lose more AMs I don't think they could stagger on for a full assembly term with 24 or 25 members, it's just not realistic.

"So we need something more stable and one of those possibilities is an alliance amongst the, now, opposition parties."