2015 Welsh assembly election delayed, says Carwyn Jones

The next Welsh assembly election will be delayed by one year from 2015 to 2016, says First Minister Carwyn Jones.

This means the next Welsh government after the election in May this year will serve a five-year term not a four-year term.

It also means there will now not be a clash with the UK general election in 2015.

Assembly members have voted to support the decision. It is now expected the UK government will endorse the change.

Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg said in February he would offer AMs the chance to bring forward or delay the poll by up to 12 months.

The UK government wrote to the presiding officer of the assembly to make the offer.

A clash in 2015 had looked likely because the UK parliament is moving to five-year fixed terms. The next UK general election will be held in May 2015.

AMs are currently elected for four years.