Former Welsh first minister Rhodri Morgan, 77

Former Welsh first minister Rhodri Morgan has collapsed and died while cycling near Cardiff. He was 77.

Mr Morgan had a skill for a whimsical wisecracks but was a passionate and combative campaigner as a politician.

His response to being asked whether he wanted to lead the yet-to-be-created Welsh Assembly was “do one-legged ducks swim in a circle?”

Mr Morgan, who was elected as an MP for Cardiff West in 1987, became an AM when the Assembly was created in 1999.

As first secretary for Wales, and later first minister, he was leader of the Welsh Assembly Government from 2000 to 2009.

He was credited with helping to bring stability to the newly formed institution. He never fitted the New Labour mould and never saw eye to eye with its creators.

He summed up Tony Blair as “a person who shafted me” when the former prime minister left office in 2007.

He was referring to the obstacles he faced in getting the job of leader of Welsh Labour.

Despite the support of grassroots members, he was overlooked in favour of the party leadership’s candidate, Alun Michael.

When Mr Morgan finally got the job he craved after Mr Michael stood down in 2000, he set about trying to distance his wing of the party from New Labour by promising “clear red water” between Wales and Westminster.

Hywel Rhodri Morgan was born on September 29 1939. After graduating from Oxford and Harvard universities he worked as a civil servant, entering Labour politics in 1960s Cardiff where he campaigned for James Callaghan with a young Neil and Glenys Kinnock.

A slim majority at the 2003 election was taken away by Blaenau Gwent AM Peter Law, who Mr Morgan earlier sacked as a minister, when he defected in 2005 over a row about an all-women shortlist.

He is survived by wife Julie, Assembly Member for Cardiff North, a son and two daughters.

Mr Morgan was elected MP in 1987.