"WE CANNOT make this Assembly work," Plaid Cymru leader Ieuan Wyn Jones told party members in Gwent.

Visiting Newbridge as part of a tour explaining the party's long-term constitutional aims, Mr Jones told members that the 2003 Assembly election campaign would be fought on that principle.

Speaking exclusively to the Argus, Mr Jones said: "We will be fighting to form a government in 2003 and we will be doing it on the basis that we cannot make it work. We cannot develop meaningful policies without the same powers as Scotland."

Mr Jones highlighted two areas where the Scottish Parliament - which can make its own laws - had proved more flexible.

On student hardship they have been able to scrap tuition fees, we could only ask Westminster to do it. They've been able to give pensioners free health and social care, here we only have powers over health care.

"We will have to fight in 2003 to turn the Assembly in to a Parliament."

Mr Jones' tour of the regions is the end of a process he started when he became leader to clarify what the party stands for long term.

A special conference on November 24 will agree that "full national status" for Wales is Plaid's goal. He said that was the phrase that made sense in a rapidly changing world and the issue was now settled.

Whether it will stop the constant questioning about independence which has riddled the last two election campaigns remains to be seen.

"It might not stop people asking the question, but now we've got the answer," he said.