A LEADING county councillor says the current local elections campaign is the dirtiest he has experienced during 34 years in local politics.

Kevin Madge, Labour leader at County Hall, has accused Plaid Cymru of “dealing with personalities rather than policies”.

The Garnant-based deputy leader of the county council said: “I’m warning the opposition they have to be very careful if they’re dealing with personalities.

“It would be far better if they concentrated on their policies – sadly, they haven’t got any.”

Cllr Madge is understood to be particularly annoyed at a Plaid Cymru leaflet he claims targets Labour’s Glanaman candidate Shaid Hussain – recently the subject of a Twitter row – as well as council leader Meryl Gravell.

“Shahid has apologised for what happened and that should be the end of it,” said Cllr Madge.

“Meryl Gravell may have made some mistakes, but she’s the longest-serving council leader in the country so she must be doing something right.

“People don’t like dirty politics, yet these elections are building up into the dirtiest I can ever remember.”

But Jonathan Edwards, Plaid’s Carmarthenshire East and Dinefwr MP, maintained the forthcoming county council election was “as much about personalities as it is about policies” and would determine who leads the local authority for the next five years.

“There is no difference between Labour or the Independents,” he said.

“Voting for either of the two will result in the same ‘Meryl and Madge’ tag team that has controlled the county council for the past eight years.

“The voters need to ask themselves whether they want another five years of the status quo, or do they want fresh, innovative leadership with Plaid Cymru.”