Interim Rhodri Morgan administration

Interim Morgan administration

2nd devolved administration of Wales
9 February 2000 – 16 October 2000
Date formed9 February 2000
Date dissolved16 October 2000
People and organisations
MonarchElizabeth II
First MinisterRhodri Morgan
Member party
  •   Labour
Status in legislatureMinority
28 / 60 (47%)
Opposition party
Opposition leaderDafydd Wigley
Ieuan Wyn Jones
History
Legislature term1st National Assembly for Wales
PredecessorMichael administration
SuccessorFirst Rhodri Morgan government

The interim Rhodri Morgan administration was a temporary government of Wales formed on 9 February 2000 by Rhodri Morgan, following the resignation of Alun Michael as First Secretary,[1] which was pre-empted by a vote of no-confidence by Plaid Cymru.

Rhodri Morgan was named as Acting First Secretary on 9 February and confirmed as the permanent First Secretary on 15 February 2000.[2] This Ministry ran until Morgan formed a coalition government with the Liberal Democrats in October 2000.

This administration was always viewed as temporary and Labour had mooted looking for a coalition partner following their perceived poor showing in the 1999 election.[3]

Cabinet

Office Portrait Name Term Party
First Secretary of Wales and Secretary for Economic Development Rhodri Morgan* 9 February - 16 October Labour
Minister for Assembly Business Andrew Davies* 22 February - 16 October Labour
Finance Secretary Edwina Hart** 22 February - 16 October Labour
Secretary for Post 16 Education and Training Tom Middlehurst*** 22 February - 9 October Labour
Minister for Health and Social Services Jane Hutt* 22 February - 16 October Labour
Secretary for Education and Children Rosemary Butler*** 22 February - 16 October Labour
Secretary for Agriculture and Rural Development Christine Gwyther 22 February - 23 July Labour
Carwyn Jones** 23 July - 16 October Labour
Secretary for Local Government and Housing Peter Law*** 22 February - 16 October Labour
Secretary for Environment, Planning and Transport Sue Essex** 22 February - 16 October Labour
Office holders given special provisions to attend Cabinet:
Chief Whip Karen Sinclair 22 February - 16 October Labour

* Indicates that the individual kept the same or similar job in the next government.
** Indicates that the individual was moved to a new job in the next government.
*** Indicates that the individual was either sacked or quit and held no ministerial role in the next government.

Deputy Secretaries

Deputy Secretaries prior to the enactment of the Government of Wales Act 2006 were not officially part of the Government, were not paid and received limited official support.

Office Portrait Name Term Party
Deputy Secretary for Health and Social Services Alun Pugh** 23 February 2000 - 17 October 2000 Labour
Deputy Secretary for Agriculture, Local Government and Environment Carwyn Jones 23 February 2000 - 23 July 2000 Labour
Delyth Evans* 24 July 2000 - 17 October 2000 Labour
Deputy Secretary for Education and the Economy Christine Chapman*** 23 February 2000 - 17 October 2000 Labour

* Indicates that the individual kept the same or similar job in the next government.
** Indicates that the individual was moved to a new job in the next government.
*** Indicates that the individual was either sacked or quit and held no ministerial role in the next government.

All job titles and dates are taken from the History of The National Assembly section of their website[2]

Aftermath

Between February and October 2000 Rhodri Morgan's Labour Party had 28 of the Assembly's 60 seats. The six Liberal Democrat seats would provided a comfortable working majority.

Developments quickly occurred during the autumn of 2000 culminating in Tom Middlehurst resigning as Secretary for post-16 education on 9 October claiming he could not “contemplate sitting down at the Cabinet table with the Liberal Democrats”.[4]

A new coalition government (the coalition used the term government rather than administration; officially referred to as the Coalition Partnership) was officially announced on 5 October 2000 with policy details emerging the day later. Cabinet Ministers (the coalition replaced the title of Secretary with Minister) were then appointed on 16 October and Deputies on 17 October. That government lasted until the 2003 election.

References

  1. ^ "Acting Welsh first secretary announced". 9 February 2000. Retrieved 13 December 2018.
  2. ^ a b "First Assembly". National Assembly for Wales. Archived from the original on 1 February 2020. Retrieved 13 December 2018.
  3. ^ "Labour seeking Welsh partner". BBC Wales. 7 May 1999. Retrieved 17 December 2018.
  4. ^ "Welsh cabinet member resigns". The Times. 10 October 2000. Retrieved 13 December 2018.