TORY veteran Lord Roberts of Conwy last night said he was ready to back full law-making powers for the Welsh Assembly in a referendum. The significant U-turn, ahead of this weekend's Welsh Conservative conference in Llandudno, came as the party's Assembly leader, Nick Bourne, admitted he was wrong to oppose the setting up of the Assembly in 1997. Lord Roberts, the former MP for Conwy and a Welsh Office minister for 18 years, was a staunch opponent of devolution. Last night, he denounced Labour plans going through parliament to beef up the Assembly allowing Westminster to delegate some law-making powers to AMs. It would give the Assembly Scottish-style powers only after a referendum. On BBC Wales programme Taro Naw, Lord Roberts branded the Government of Wales Bill "treacherous" in the way it gave legislative powers to the Assembly without seeking the views of the people of Wales. And he criticised the way the Bill could gradually transfer all legislative powers from Westminster to Cardiff Bay. "We as Conservatives believe that we should have a referendum now - not on the continuation of the Assembly but on its powers," he said.. Given the choice the peer said he would support the recommendations of the Richard Commission for full legislative powers after a referendum delivered a yes vote. Asked whether he would vote "yes" in a referendum on giving legislative powers to the Assembly he replied: "Yes I would." Originally, Lord Roberts was opposed to the setting up of the Assembly but now felt it was his duty to improve it. Tory Assembly leader Nick Bourne, at the forefront of the campaign against devolution, said yesterday that he would join the campaign to secure more powers for Cardiff Bay. Mr Bourne said he had had a change of heart since the 1997 referendum when he was a prominent figure in the No campaign. "There is only one way forward," he said. "When it comes to the next general election the Assembly will have been around for 10 years. "I am not sure I would be leading a 'yes' campaign - though I would certainly be taking part in it." Mr Bourne said a new devolution settle-ment could only be "sanctioned, endorsed and entrenched by a referendum". The Welsh Tory leader said Labour was split on devolution because giving law-making powers to the Assembly would require more AMs and fewer Welsh MPs. He also signalled his willingness to work in a coalition government after next year's Assembly elections. | 
