THE race to the May 7 general election is hotting up with three UK government ministers having arrived in Brecon and Radnorshire in the past week.

Former Foreign Secretary William Hague, the leader of the House of Commons, visited Knighton to support Conservative candidate Chris Davies.

Sitting MP Roger Williams welcomed Liberal Democrat health minister Norman Lamb to the Brecon offices of mental health charity Mind, while the Tory culture minister Ed Vaizey also turned up in the town to inspect the installation of super fast broadband connections.

The fight for Brecon and Radnorshire, traditionally a tussle between the Lib Dems and Conservatives sees both parties this year running on their record in government, a first for the Lib Dems and something the Tories haven't been able to do since losing the seat in 1997 when Mr Hague was the Welsh Secretary.

While in Knighton, Mr Hague negotiated questioning about why he and wife Ffion have chosen to move to Montgomeryshire, or 'the wrong side of the line between life and death' as Prime Minister David Cameron memorably described the border between Wales and England.

Though Mr Hague said it is 'important Wales has a better run NHS', having previously been responsible for that service in the days before the Assembly, he correctly identified it as a 'big issue' for next year's Welsh Assembly elections.

In Brecon Norman Lamb was keen to talk up his commitment to better mental health care. Guaranteed equal treatment for mental health is one of five manifesto priorities announced by the Lib Dems last week on the same day Mr Lamb was in Brecon. The 'Quality health care for all' priority in Wales translates as 'increased resources' for the NHS and 'ensuring safe staffing levels'. The second promise reflecting a bill Welsh leader Kirsty Williams is currently trying to get passed by the Welsh Assembly.

Of the other parties hoping to take advantage in what may be the most unpredictable election - both locally and nationally - for many years UKIP had been riding high in some opinion polls and was boosted by winning the most votes in Powys during last year's European Parliament election.

But the party appears to have imploded locally, a row over the selection of candidate Darran Thomas by the party's Welsh executive has seen the local branch suspended.

Disgruntled former committee members have called a meeting at the Castle Hotel in Brecon, for 7pm this Friday, February 20 and are urging all members and supporters to attend.

On the left Labour's Matthew Dorrance will be hoping to take advantage of any disgruntlement among Lib Dem supporters at the party's five year relationship with the Conservatives.

Plaid Cymru's Freddy Greaves and Green Party candidate Chris Carmichael will fight it out for the anti austerity vote. Both parties have promised to form a pact with the Scottish National Party at Westminster to push for greater public investment should they hold the balance of power in the next Parliament.

For more on William Hague's visit to Knighton and Norman Lamb's criticism of mental health services he is responsible for buy this week's Brecon & Radnor Express - on sale now