Morgan was elected as Member of Parliament (MP) for Cardiff West in 1987. From 1988 to 1994 he was a Shadow Environment Spokesman. He was also Chairman of the House of Commons Select Committee on Public Administration (19971999) and Opposition Front Bench Spokesman on Energy (198892) and Welsh Affairs (19921997). He stepped down from the House of Commons at the 2001 General Election. National Assembly for Wales First Assembly (1999)

A committed supporter of Welsh devolution Morgan contested the position of Labour's nominee for the (then titled) First Secretary for Wales. He lost to the then Secretary of State for Wales Ron Davies. Davies was then forced to resign his position after an alleged sex scandal whereupon Morgan again ran for the post. His opponent Alun Michael the new Secretary of State for Wales was seen as a reluctant participant despite also having a long-standing commitment to Welsh devolution and was widely regarded as being the choice of the UK leadership of the Labour Party.2

Michael was duly elected to the leadership but resigned a little more than a year later amid threats of an imminent no-confidence vote and alleged plotting against him by members of not only his own party but also Assembly groups and Cabinet members. Morgan became Labour's new nominee for First Secretary and was elected in February 2000 later becoming First Minister on 16 October 2000 when the position was retitled. He was also appointed to the Privy Council in July 2000.3 Morgan stepped down from the House of Commons at the 2001 General Election. Morgan's leadership has been characterised by a willingness to distance himself from a number of aspects of UK Labour party policy particularly in relation to plans to introduce choice and competition into public services which he has argued do not fit Welsh attitudes and values and would not work effectively in a smaller and more rural country. In a speech given in Swansea to the National Centre for Public Policy in November 2002 Morgan stated his opposition to foundation hospitals (a UK Labour proposal) and referred to the "clear red water" separating policies in Wales and in Westminster.4 Second Assembly (2003) Rhodri Morgan meets U.S. Ambassador Robert Tuttle on 7 October 2005 in Cardiff. On 1 May 2003 Labour under Morgan's leadership was re-elected in the Assembly elections. Morgan managed to win enough seats to form a Labour-only administration (the election was held under proportional representation and Labour won 30 of the 60 seats in the Assembly and the overall majority was achieved when Dafydd Elis-Thomas AM was elected Presiding Officer of the Assembly) and named his cabinet on 9 May. In that election Labour easily took back all of the former strongholds they lost to Plaid Cymru at the height of Alun Michael's unpopularity in 1999. In his second term Morgan's administration continued its theme of "Welsh solutions for Welsh problems" a marked contrast to the Blairite public service reform agenda.citation needed Instead of competition Welsh Labour emphasised the need for collaboration between public service providers.5 Third Assembly (2007) Labour is the biggest party with 26 out of the 60 seats five short of an overall majority. After one month of minority government Morgan signed a coalition agreement (One Wales) with Ieuan Wyn Jones leader of Plaid Cymru on 27 June 2007. Rhodri Morgan is the first modern political leader of Wales to lead a law-making government. As head of the civil service in Wales Morgan's administration has been faced with a number of legal issues including an employment tribunal when the service dismissed blogger Christopher Glamorganshire in the Autumn of 200767 and a civil court action from Christine Davies after an accusation of sexual harassment from a senior manager was ignored. Davies went on to confirm that "sexual harassment and bullying is widespread in the Welsh Assembly and that women are intimidated by some male bosses on a daily basis".8910111213 Retirement In July 2005 Morgan announced his intention to lead the Welsh Labour party into the 2007 general election but retire as leader and First Minister sometime in 2009 when he would be 70.14 On his 70th birthday (29 September) he set the exact date as immediately following the Assembly's budget session on 8 December 2009.15 Counsel General Carwyn Jones Health Minister Edwina Hart and Merthyr Tydfil and Rhymney AM Huw Lewis entered a leadership contest to elect a new Labour leader in Wales.16 On 1 December 2009 the winner was declared as Carwyn Jones17 who assumed office as First Minister on 10 December 2009. Morgan remained a backbench AM until April 2011 when the Third Assembly was dissolved prior to the general election on 5 May 2011. References Mulholland Hlne (2007-07-09). "Rhodri Morgan spends night in hospital". London: The Guardian. http://www.guardian.co.uk/politics/2007/jul/09/wales.devolution. Retrieved 2009-10-01.  Guto Harri (2000-02-09). "Q&A: The Alun Michael vote". BBC News. http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/wales/635987.stm. Retrieved 2009-10-01.  "Morgan made privy councillor". BBC News. 2000-07-24. http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/ukpolitics/848851.stm. Retrieved 2009-10-01.  "New Labour 'attack' under fire". BBC NEWS. 2002-12-11. http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/wales/2565859.stm. Retrieved 2009-10-01.  Welsh Assembly Government. "Making the Connections". http://wales.gov.uk/about/strategy/makingtheconnections/langen. Retrieved 2009-10-01. dead link "Sacked bloggers taking case to tribunal". Western Mail. 2008-07-09. http://www.walesonline.co.uk/news/politics-news/2008/07/09/sacked-blogger-s-taking-case-to-tribunal-91466-21308104/. Retrieved 2008-07-18.  "Free speech huge bills". BBC Wales. September 18 2008. http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/thereporters/betsanpowys/2008/09/ifyouwerebornin.html. Retrieved 2008-09-21.  "Assembly boss 'serial sex pest'". Wales on Sunday. January 6 2008. http://www.walesonline.co.uk/news/wales-news/2008/01/06/assembly-boss-serial-sex-pest-91466-20317097/. Retrieved 2008-07-21.  "Senior civil servant tells female she would make a good 'tarty waitress'". Daily Mail. January 8 2008. http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-506651/Senior-civil-servant-tells-female-make-good-tarty-waitress.html. Retrieved 2008-09-21.  "Judgement day in sex assault case". Western Mail. January 9 2008. http://www.walesonline.co.uk/news/cardiff-news/2008/01/09/judgement-day-in-sex-assault-case-91466-20329911/. Retrieved 2008-09-21.  "'Sexual harassment rife at Assembly' - claim". Wales on Sunday. January 13 2008. http://www.walesonline.co.uk/news/wales-news/2008/01/13/sex-pest-victim-sexual-harassment-rife-at-assembly-91466-20343359/. Retrieved 2008-09-21.  "Fresh review after groping case". Western Mail. January 15 2008. http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/wales/7189301.stm. Retrieved 2008-09-21.  "Change urged after 'groping' case". BBC Wales. April 29 2008. http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/wales/7374248.stm. Retrieved 2008-09-21.  "Morgan plans to step down in 2009" BBC News 13 July 2005. "Morgan is stepping down as leader" BBC News 1 October 2009. "Two join race to succeed Morgan". BBC News. 2009-10-02. http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/wales/8286094.stm. Retrieved 2010-05-22.  "WalesOnline - News - Wales News - Carwyn Jones clinches leadership in Wales". WalesOnline website. Media Wales Ltd. 2009-12-01. http://www.walesonline.co.uk/news/wales-news/2009/12/01/carwyn-jones-clinches-leadership-in-wales-91466-25299305/. Retrieved 2009-12-01.  External links Wikiquote has a collection of quotations related to: Rhodri Morgan Parliament of the United Kingdom Preceded by Stefan Terlezki Member of Parliament for Cardiff West 19872001 Succeeded by Kevin Brennan National Assembly for Wales New constituency Assembly Member for Cardiff West 1999present Succeeded by Mark Drakeford Political offices New office Minister for Economic Development and European Affairs 19992000 Succeeded by Michael German Preceded by Alun Michael as First Secretary of Wales First Minister of Wales 20002009 Succeeded by Carwyn Jones Party political offices Preceded by Alun Michael Leader of Welsh Labour 20002009 Succeeded by Carwyn Jones v d eCity of Cardiff About Cardiff Architecture  City centre (Arcades)  Culture and recreation  Economy and industry  History (Timeline)  Leisure Centres  Libraries  Media  People  Places  Politics  Sport  Tall Buildings  Transport (Bus  Rail  Cycle  Water  Air) Cardiff templates Culture  Economy  Education  Landmarks and Visitor Attractions  Media  Politics  Sport  Transport North Birchgrove  Cathays  Cyncoed  Gabalfa  Heath  Lisvane  Llandaff  Llandaff North  Llanishen  Rhiwbina  Roath  Thornhill  Tongwynlais   Whitchurch West Caerau  Canton  Creigiau  Culverhouse Cross  Danescourt  Ely  Fairwater  Pentyrch  Pontcanna  Radyr and Morganstown  St Fagans South Adamsdown  Butetown  Cardiff Bay  Grangetown  Plasnewydd  Riverside  Splott East Llanrumney  Pentwyn  Penylan  Pontprennau  Rumney  St Mellons  Tremorfa  Trowbridge Principal areas of Wales v d ePolitics and Government in Cardiff Local Government Cardiff Council County Hall City Hall Rodney Berman Local Government Electoral wards Adamsdown Butetown Caerau Canton Cathays Creigiau & St. Fagans Cyncoed Ely Fairwater Gabalfa Grangetown Heath Llanishen Lisvane Llandaff Llandaff North Llanrumney Pentwyn Pentyrch Penylan Plasnewydd Pontprennau & Old St. Mellons Radyr & Morganstown Rhiwbina Riverside Rumney Splott Trowbridge Whitchurch & Tongwynlais National Assembly for Wales Constituencies and AMs Cardiff Central (Jenny Randerson Lib Dem) Cardiff North (Jonathan Morgan Cons) Cardiff West (Rhodri Morgan Lab) Cardiff South and Penarth (Lorraine Barrett Lab) Devolved Administration in Wales Institutions and Venues National Assembly for Wales (Senedd T Hywel) Welsh Government (Cathays Park Crown Building) House of Commons Constituencies and MPs Cardiff Central (Jenny Willott Lib Dem) Cardiff North (Jonathan Evans Con) Cardiff West (Kevin Brennan Lab) Cardiff South and Penarth (Alun Michael Lab) European Parliament Constituencies and MEPs Wales (Jillian Evans Plaid) (Kay Swinburne Con) (John Bufton UKIP) (Derek Vaughan Lab) Headquarters Plaid Cymru Wales Green Party Welsh Conservative Party Welsh Labour Welsh Liberal Democrats v d eFirst Minister for Wales/First Minister of Wales Alun Michael  Rhodri Morgan   Carwyn Jones v d eCurrent members of the National Assembly of Wales As of the 4th Assembly Labour (30) Leighton Andrews Mick Antoniw (Rosemary Butler) Christine Chapman Jeffrey Cuthbert Alun Davies Keith Davies Mark Drakeford Carwyn Jones Rebecca Evans Vaughan Gething Janice Gregory John Griffiths Lesley Griffiths Edwina Hart Mike Hedges Jane Hutt Julie James Ann Jones Huw Lewis Sandy Mewies Julie Morgan Lynne Neagle Gwyn R Price Jenny Rathbone David Rees Carl Sargeant Ken Skates Gwenda Thomas Joyce Watson Conservatives (14) Mohammad Asghar Angela Burns Byron Davies Andrew R. T. Davies Paul Davies Suzy Davies Janet Finch-Saunders Russell George William Graham Mark Isherwood David Melding Darren Millar Nick Ramsay Antoinette Sandbach Plaid Cymru (11) Jocelyn Davies Dafydd Elis-Thomas Llyr Huws Gruffydd Bethan Jenkins Alun Ffred Jones Elin Jones Rhodri Glyn Thomas Leanne Wood Ieuan Wyn Jones Simon Thomas Lindsay Whittle Liberal Democrats (3) Peter Black William Powell Kirsty Williams Presiding Officer: Rosemary Butler Bold Party leaders v d eNational Assembly for Wales election 2007 Re-Elected First Minister: Rhodri Morgan (Labour) Rhodri Morgan (Labour)  Ieuan Wyn Jones (Plaid Cymru)  Nick Bourne (Conservative)  Mike German (Liberal Democrats) Persondata Name Morgan Rhodri Alternative names Short description Date of birth 1939-09-29 Place of birth Cardiff Wales Date of death Place of death