GLENYS Kinnock has urged the people of Gwent to vote in June's European elections or risk a "crisis for democracy."

The Wales MEP said that from job-creating structural funds to improving working conditions, the European Union was delivering real benefits for Gwent.

Mrs Kinnock spoke exclusively to the Argus after giving a speech to the Institute for Citizenship's Get the Vote Out conference in South Wales.

Mrs Kinnock said: "The European Union is helping individuals in Gwent by creating jobs, improving working conditions, increasing consumer rights and promoting equality.

"We need to tell those positive stories and get people out to vote in June so that the European parliament has a strong democratic mandate to move forward."

Mrs Kinnock told the conference: "People no longer believe that their vote makes a difference.

"According to one poll, we are starting to face a public which believes that a political anorak is someone who votes in a general election.

"There is little public trust in the media or in politicians - people only trust their own experience or word of mouth. Our primary task then, is clear. We must re-capture the interested non-voter.

"We need to let them know that the issues they are interested in - asylum, the environment, international relations, health, equal rights - are being debated and voted upon by their MEPs all the year round."

Mrs Kinnock said: "We need to also make clear the risks of failing to get out to vote in June - the British National Party is ready to reap the benefits of a low turnout."

Mrs Kinnock dismissed claims that the Assembly was mismanaging Objective One funds designed to create jobs in the Gwent Valleys and said the scheme was transforming the local economy.

She said: "I am absolutely confident that there is no way the Assembly administration would stand in the way of good projects getting funding. "The Welsh Local Government Association did have some concerns about match funding but that has now been addressed."