CARWYN Jones has said “we are taking nothing for granted” on the eve of the election that could decide whether he remains as First Minister for the next five years.

Speaking during a visit to Newport today, Wednesday, the Labour First Minister and Bridgend candidate said he could not predict what shape the Assembly will be in on Friday morning.

“Nobody knows what the result will be,” he said.

“I’m fighting hard to remain as the First Minister, but I can’t make any assumptions.

“We can’t plan for something we can’t predict.”

He added he was “hopeful” about the party’s chances of retaining power, despite polls suggesting Labour could lose seats in today’s election.

“Our voters do seem to be a lot more energised than they were last year,” he said.

“We will be fighting hard for every single vote.”

Labour is only one seat away from losing its majority in the Senedd, but candidates and ministers have been tight-lipped about whether a coalition could be on the cards. Ukip is making a big push this year, and some polls have suggested the anti-immigration party could win as many as seven seats.

Mr Jones said the party’s efforts could introduce a new element to the Senedd.

“If Ukip have AMs that will change the arithmetic,” he said.

“But if Ukip has members they need to turn up and put the work in. Their record is not good.”

Mr Jones added the crisis in the steel industry had taken up a good deal of his time during the campaign period.

“I’ve been doing more First Minister stuff than would normally be the case,” he said.

“We are at the point now where expressions of interest (in Tata’s UK holdings) will have come in.

“We know there are several, possibly five or six.

“We need that to come to a deal to preserve steel jobs.”

The First Minister also praised Labour’s Newport West candidate Jayne Bryant – who is running to succeed party stalwart Dame Rosemary Butler, who stepped down this year after 17 years in the Senedd – as well as Newport East’s John Griffiths, who is again contesting the seat he has held since 1999.

“Jayne is an excellent candidate and someone who has worked very, very hard,” he said.

“And Newport East is a seat we’ve always held. It’s one of those seats we would expect to do well in.

“Indications are good but we are taking nothing for granted.

“More and more people are voting in different ways between regional and constituency seats.”

Polls are open from 7am until 10pm tomorrow, Thursday.