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Morgan 'to keep Labour waiting' Rhodri Morgan keeps Wales waiting
(9 minutes later)
Rhodri Morgan is not expected to reveal more details about his plans to step down as Welsh Labour leader when he speaks to the party conference. Rhodri Morgan says he will soon announce his departure as Welsh Labour leader and first minister.
The first minister has said he will announce his departure on or around his 70th birthday, which is on Tuesday. He has said he will announce his departure on or around his 70th birthday, which is on Tuesday, but did not tell the party conference when.
While he did say in Brighton that it will be his last conference speech as leader, he is unlikely to confirm his precise retirement plans. While he did say in Brighton it was his last conference speech as leader, he did not say when he will be going.
He is thought to be reluctant to reveal his plans to a gathering in England. However, watched by Prime Minister Gordon Brown, he said his leadership "does not have long to run".
Mr Morgan and Welsh Secretary Peter Hain are both speaking to the conference on Sunday afternoon. Mr Morgan is understood to have been reluctant to reveal his plans to a gathering in England.
My leadership does not have long to run First Minister Rhodri Morgan
He told the conference "I'll be announcing before too long the exact details of how and when my successor will take over."
He also said: "My leadership does not have long to run."
He warned of the need to fight to prevent a Conservative government at the next general election.
But in a typically flamboyant turn of phrase, Mr Morgan said Labour had "temporarily mislaid the magic recipe for blending the mushy peas of Old Labour with the guacamole of New Labour".
He thanked Labour for having come with him on his journey to establish Wales as a "yes we can country".
He said the decade since devolution had been the most "important thing to happen since the industrial revolution" for Wales.
Mr Morgan and Welsh Secretary Peter Hain both spoke to the conference on Sunday afternoon.
All of the high quality candidates who have indicated that they are wanting to replace him will have to prove themselves in a succession election Welsh Secretary Peter HainAll of the high quality candidates who have indicated that they are wanting to replace him will have to prove themselves in a succession election Welsh Secretary Peter Hain
BBC Wales political correspondents reported that Mr Morgan had considered making the official announcement to this conference, and as late as Sunday morning colleagues said he had had yet to decide the timing of his statement.BBC Wales political correspondents reported that Mr Morgan had considered making the official announcement to this conference, and as late as Sunday morning colleagues said he had had yet to decide the timing of his statement.
Meanwhile, Mr Hain said he was not backing any of the three likely candidates to succeed Mr Morgan as Welsh Labour leader and first minister.Meanwhile, Mr Hain said he was not backing any of the three likely candidates to succeed Mr Morgan as Welsh Labour leader and first minister.
'Big loss''Big loss'
Speaking to the Politics Show Wales, he said Counsel General Carwyn Jones, Health Minister Edwina Hart and Merthyr Tydfil and Rhymney Assembly Member Huw Lewis were all "high quality candidates" who would be "well up to doing the job of first minister".Speaking to the Politics Show Wales, he said Counsel General Carwyn Jones, Health Minister Edwina Hart and Merthyr Tydfil and Rhymney Assembly Member Huw Lewis were all "high quality candidates" who would be "well up to doing the job of first minister".
Mr Hain said that when Mr Morgan did leave he would be "a big loss to Welsh Labour and to Wales".Mr Hain said that when Mr Morgan did leave he would be "a big loss to Welsh Labour and to Wales".
"And all of the high quality candidates who have indicated that they are wanting to replace him will have to prove themselves in a succession election."And all of the high quality candidates who have indicated that they are wanting to replace him will have to prove themselves in a succession election.
"I'm not backing anybody. As secretary of state for Wales I am staying entirely neutral on this, as you'd expect.""I'm not backing anybody. As secretary of state for Wales I am staying entirely neutral on this, as you'd expect."
Mr Hain has also warned that Labour faced a "really bad defeat" at the next general election unless it raised its game.Mr Hain has also warned that Labour faced a "really bad defeat" at the next general election unless it raised its game.
He suggested the government had made a number of mistakes in recent months and must "collectively do much better".He suggested the government had made a number of mistakes in recent months and must "collectively do much better".
"There have been too many instances where we haven't done as well as we should have done - the 10p tax, the Gurkhas, Lockerbie," he told The Sunday Times."There have been too many instances where we haven't done as well as we should have done - the 10p tax, the Gurkhas, Lockerbie," he told The Sunday Times.
He also admitted that the row over the release of Lockerbie bomber Abdelbaset Ali Mohmed Al Megrahi was not the government's "finest hour".He also admitted that the row over the release of Lockerbie bomber Abdelbaset Ali Mohmed Al Megrahi was not the government's "finest hour".