THE ASSEMBLY'S battered reputation is likely to reach a new low tomorrow - when AMs are due to spend the day debating where to sit.

The Assembly government has tabled a debate on where AMs sit in their present chamber.

Labour want all their members to sit together on one side of the Assembly chamber - as they do at Westminster - instead of mixing with other parties.

They say that, having failed to reach private agreement with the other parties, they have no choice but to hold a debate on the matter.

But opposition AMs say that the issue is a waste of time - and have tabled over 600 amendments to the Labour motion.

The opposition move is called filibustering, and is designed to use up debating time and force the government to withdraw the motion.

Some AMs are also trying to censure the government minister responsible, Karen Sinclair, accusing her of bringing the Assembly into public ridicule.

Blaenau Gwent's Labour AM Peter Law says the public will start seriously questioning the government's priorities.

"I don't know why we're doing it now - we should have cleared it up weeks ago," he said.

"A lot of people will question our priorities given that we only have a few days left to debate anything before the break. When you look at the problems people face in Wales and my constituency it is strange that we are debating something like this. It does nothing to enhance the Assembly's reputation, but I will vote with the government because it won't cost any money."

Monmouth Tory AM David Davies said: "This is one of the last opportunities to do some good before the Assembly's long summer break, instead we're talking about seating. We should be debating the issues that matter to people like health, education and transport.

"We mean to wreck this debate because it should never have been brought. It really is a new low for the Assembly."

The debate is the latest controversy to hit the Assembly.

There was a record low turnout for May's election and earlier this month AMs voted to build a £55 million debating chamber - despite widespread public opposition. An Argus phone poll this month revealed that 79% of callers were against spending millions on the chamber.