The Davies Affair: Maverick will not toe the line

FOR A party leadership still reeling from the shock of Ron Davies' resignation, it seemed like the perfect deal.

Alun Michael, the new Welsh Secretary, would end 10 days of lingering embarrassment over the affair and announce yesterday he was Labour's sole candidate for the post of First Minister of the Welsh Assembly.

Under a classic Labour "stitch up", Mr Michael's main rival for the top job, Rhodri Morgan, would join him on a "team ticket" as his deputy, with another contender, Wayne David MEP.

Senior officials and MPs had made clear to Mr Morgan that he should act "in the interests of the party and Wales" and put him under intense pressure to stand aside. Yet the party hierarchy had failed to reckon with the stubbornness of an MP noted for his independence and distinct lack of admiration for Blairite compromise.

Hywel Rhodri Morgan, MP for Cardiff West, is an Oxford-educated, rugby- loving back-bencher as unafraid of upsetting Millbank officials as he is keen to appear on the media with a quick-witted quip or soundbite.

His reputation in Downing Street as a maverick seemed to become self-fulfilling after Tony Blair failed to give him a ministerial job in the Welsh Office after the last general election.

The MP had been told he had performed well as a shadow minister and was deeply hurt by the decision, a rejection that spurred him on to take the chairmanship of the influential Commons Public Administration Select Committee.

It was in his role as chairman that he ignored pleas from Number 10 to drop an inquiry into the role of Mr Blair's official spokesman, Alistair Campbell. Although Mr Campbell performed well in front of the committee, his very appearance was not appreciated by the Prime Minister.

During his campaign for the Welsh Assembly leadership, Mr Morgan impressed many in the party with his passion for devolution.

He even underwent an image "makeover", cropping his curly grey hair and swapping his less than elegant jacket and trouser combinations for sombre suits.

A soft-left MP like most Welsh backbenchers, Mr Morgan said during the campaign that neither he nor Mr Davies were "in the Taliban militia of New Labour". "We are both from South Wales after all," he said.

But as proof of his popularity, Mr Morgan's supporters point to an NOP poll earlier this week that gave him 31 per cent support among the Welsh public compared with 5 per cent for Mr Michael.The key trade union vote, which makes up a third of any electoral college, could be Mr Michael's best hope of clinching the candidacy if he opted for the gamble of a contest. Although he was beaten by the Mr Davies in the electoral college in September, the lack of a loyalty factor to the new Welsh Secretary will not hinder him in any new contest.

The Morgan camp made clear last night that the high level of support for their man meant the only way he could be stopped was if London officials imposed Mr Michael as the chosen. Such a move would be guaranteed to provoke protests from some MPs and local parties, but a determined Millbank may be prepared to put up with a few days of poor publicity as a small price to pay for blocking Mr Morgan as its official choice.

One of Mr Michael's aides said yesterday: "Alun wouldn't run for anything if he didn't think he could win."

A weary Morgan supporter replied: "He wouldn't run for anything if he thought he would be opposed."