CAPITAL EYE.

Byline: TOM BODDEN

Tory Assembly leader Nick Bourne might have wanted to reinforce his leadership credentials but the fall-out from his iPod on expenses hung around like a sour odour yesterday.

The embattled mid and west AM has been on the back foot since details of his claims emerged and an appeal for 'balance and perspective' was intended to begin to steady the ship.

He played the victim of a 'witch hunt', denounced a 'near hysterical obsession with my allowances', and pointed out other AMs had made claims, like him within the rules, without having the legitimacy of them challenged.

The AM was facing the media in his first weekly briefing of 2009, after he had repaid the pounds 229 cost of the iPod amid the resulting furore.

Of as much interest was the background briefing of journalists which had continued, suggesting half of the Conservative group in the Assembly wanted a change of leadership.

As if to support the analysis, just five of the group - Jonathan Morgan, Alun Cairns, William Graham, Mark Isherwood and David Melding - turned out with him at the briefing Mr Bourne, if looking occasionally rattled, remained defiant, setting out his 'vision for 2009' for a centre-right agenda in sharp contrast to the Labour-dominated agenda which had been at the forefront of the Assembly Government since 1999.

A series of key policy speeches by the leader are planned on the economy, environment, social justice, public services and heritage.

He claimed the support of Tory AMs who were a strong, united team, adding: "If there are people who think there should be a change of leadership they are not telling me.

"I have always had an open door policy.

"I have to say there has been no member of my group who has told me to go. I can say that categorically."

His tenure as Tory Assembly leader first came into question after a damaging row about a party dossier attacking first minister Rhodri Morgan.

Mr Bourne apologised for the aggressive tone of the document before but it emerged that he had, in fact, personally 'signed it off' before it was released to the press.

The only person to call for his resignation was former Conservative foe Rod Richards, the ex-North Wales AM, he countered.

"It would have been a news item if he had said I should stay," Mr Bourne said.

There are always elections round the corner for a politician these days and it is always better to resent the electorate with a united front.

The Conservatives have eyes on winning a second European seat from Labour this year.

Looking ahead to the 2011 Assembly polls, Mr Bourne set himself a target of 16 seats or above from the 12 they hold at present.

And he would be speaking to both Plaid Cymru and the Liberal Democrats this year as 'potential dancing partners' in a future coalition to oust Labour from the Assembly Government.

The party also had to remain primed for any snap general election in the spring or summer.

Meanwhile, the Tory message on the economy - that the prosperity gap between Wales and the South East of England had widened under Labour - was overshadowed again yesterday.