We've shown we can do it in Wale; Kennedy tells his party to be ambitious.

Byline: TOM BODDEN Welsh Affairs Correspondent

CHARLES Kennedy last night claimed the Liberal Democrats were ``making the difference'' in Wales.

The Lib-Dem leader rallied the Welsh party at the start of its conference in Swansea urging activists to ``be ambitious'' for what they could achieve.

The year marked a watershed for the party which was fighting its first elections for more than 80 years as a party of government,he said.

Mr Kennedy contrasted the coalition in the Assembly with Labour's efforts to govern as a single party for just over a year as ``the difference between the old politics and the new politics''.

``When our opponents in England say, you can't restore grants for students, we can say, yes we can. We've done it in Wales and we've done it in Scotland,''he said.

``When they say,it's far too complicated to bring in free personal care for the elderly, we can say,no it's not, we've done it in Scotland and we're going to do it in Wales.

``When they say, we're going as fast as we can to improve the health service, we can say no you're not. We've done far more in Wales - we've got more doctors,nurses and training places.''

He told delegates that proportional representation in elections in Wales and Scotland had delivered the partnership government that has made a real difference.

``It's made life better for the Welsh and Scottish people in all kinds of ways that would simply never have been achieved by Labour if they were in power on their own.''

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Charles Kennedy says his party is making a difference