:00:13. > :00:35.I wish to express our heart felt... I know people the length and -- on
:00:36. > :00:38.the length and breadth of Wales will provide support to the authorities
:00:39. > :00:42.and the people of Manchester as they come to terms with what has
:00:43. > :00:50.happened. I invite the First Minister to make a statement. Week
:00:51. > :00:57.'s press complete solidarity of this Assembly and the Welsh people as a
:00:58. > :01:04.whole for the people of Manchester. This was a particular form of
:01:05. > :01:09.cruelty because this act was directed at teenagers coming out of
:01:10. > :01:18.a concert. It is hard to imagine an act more appalling or more
:01:19. > :01:22.senseless. We will stand shoulder to shoulder with the people of
:01:23. > :01:29.Manchester today. This is the cruellest type of terrorism against
:01:30. > :01:36.young people at a music concert. We will all stand together against this
:01:37. > :01:42.senseless cruelty, that is beyond comprehension. The police, the NHS,
:01:43. > :01:52.the Ambulance Services, all those who have breached out their hand of
:01:53. > :02:01.help when it was needed. We have seen stories of heroism. We believe
:02:02. > :02:08.that hope, unity and togetherness will defeat hate and division.
:02:09. > :02:16.Manchester is known well to the Welsh people, and the North has seen
:02:17. > :02:25.terrorism before. We respect the strength and resilience of that
:02:26. > :02:28.great city. We reach out to Andy Burnham, the Merit Manchester, to
:02:29. > :02:33.give our solidarity to the people of Manchester. I have received a
:02:34. > :02:37.national security briefing from the Cabinet office this morning and we
:02:38. > :02:42.will continue to monitor events as they develop. The priorities at this
:02:43. > :02:50.stage must be to give families the support they need, and to give the
:02:51. > :02:54.police the time and space they need to conduct their investigations
:02:55. > :02:58.without disruption. We must never get used to terrorism at home or
:02:59. > :03:04.abroad. We can never accept these attacks as a fact of life. We need
:03:05. > :03:13.to continue to call it what it is, alien, cruel and unnecessary. We
:03:14. > :03:17.will not be cowed, nor will we shrink into the shadows, nor change
:03:18. > :03:26.our way of life. This is the best tribute that we can offer to the
:03:27. > :03:28.people of Manchester today. I ask members to stand for a one minute's
:03:29. > :04:34.silence. My others hard task this afternoon
:04:35. > :04:39.is to mark the passing of the former First Minister of Wales, Rhodri
:04:40. > :04:42.Morgan who died suddenly last Wednesday. Wales has lost a
:04:43. > :04:49.political giant and many of us has lost a friend. We pay tribute to our
:04:50. > :04:59.colleague, Julie, who has lost her life partner. Can I begin by
:05:00. > :05:03.offering the sympathies of the whole Chamber to Julie and the family
:05:04. > :05:09.after the shocking news that they received. I am sure all members will
:05:10. > :05:16.want to join me in those sentiments. Last week, there was a leaders
:05:17. > :05:22.debate that was taken part in. As soon as I left the Chamber, I
:05:23. > :05:34.received the news that Rhodri Morgan had passed away. Hywel Rhodri Morgan
:05:35. > :05:38.was named after two Kings. He served with distinction in this place as
:05:39. > :05:44.First Minister for nearly ten years. There were many of us who knew him,
:05:45. > :05:49.had the honour of knowing him for those many years and I'm sure, in
:05:50. > :05:58.the course of the next hour, we will share some of those experiences.
:05:59. > :06:07.Many of them, all of them pleasant. The first time I met him was in
:06:08. > :06:16.1997, in the summer, for the Yes for Wales campaign. We had arrived to
:06:17. > :06:21.discuss the devolution referendum for the September of that year. I
:06:22. > :06:27.remember watching a rugby match, USA versus Wales. I had first-hand
:06:28. > :06:43.I had first-hand experience of the width
:06:44. > :06:56.that he had. He said, I've never seen such a well camouflaged crowd!
:06:57. > :07:05.He was proud to have been first secretary in 2000 and subsequently
:07:06. > :07:11.First Minister. A role he filled in every way in his time. He was pretty
:07:12. > :07:18.much the same age as my father, just ten months younger and I saw him as
:07:19. > :07:22.part of that generation, and he was someone I saw as a father figure in
:07:23. > :07:32.politics. By the figure of a nation has been used, and he was someone I
:07:33. > :07:34.very much looked up to. He commanded respect but he was of course someone
:07:35. > :08:03.who was down to earth. After a while, he said, listen, you
:08:04. > :08:11.have two call me Tee. I spoke to my grandmother who was alive at the
:08:12. > :08:18.time that I called Rhodri Morgan T. Have you no respect? Well, I had
:08:19. > :08:25.respect, there is no doubt about it. But with him, I'm going to use the
:08:26. > :08:41.words of the valley. There were no tears, no graces. No ceremony. What
:08:42. > :08:48.I am now as a politician, I owed to him. He gave me an opportunity to
:08:49. > :08:53.become the agriculture secretary, as the title was then. These days, when
:08:54. > :08:59.we have Cabinet reshuffle is, they are planned beforehand, on a
:09:00. > :09:04.schedule. He rang me at 10:30pm on a Saturday night to tell me that's
:09:05. > :09:15.I've been promoted to the Cabinet and that would I join him for the
:09:16. > :09:20.Royal Welsh, the following night? Many remember the set and mouth
:09:21. > :09:26.crisis of 2001. As a young Minister, I had to get on with it. Rhodri
:09:27. > :09:32.Morgan was there to give help, guidance if it was needed, but he
:09:33. > :09:38.never interfered. He let me learn, deal with the situation, but he was
:09:39. > :09:47.there if I needed his advice. I very much valued it. It was a true honour
:09:48. > :09:55.for me in 2009, to succeed him. Rhodri Morgan was a family man. He
:09:56. > :10:05.delighted in his family, his grandchildren. He would light little
:10:06. > :10:11.fires where people could gather, and for him, family was everything, if
:10:12. > :10:15.you had ever been to his House. When he left active politics, he was
:10:16. > :10:26.determined to take up other interests. He started learning the
:10:27. > :10:32.piano. Those of us who remember when he couldn't turn a computer run, he
:10:33. > :10:38.became a great lover of technology. He loved his garden. He was a great
:10:39. > :10:43.gardener. Many people both in this Chamber and outside will have had
:10:44. > :10:52.the experience of going to Rhodri Morgan's House and being presented
:10:53. > :11:00.with a cabbage, often with the soil left on. He had a fantastic bank of
:11:01. > :11:05.knowledge about everything, it was amazing what he could recall. He had
:11:06. > :11:11.an encyclopaedic knowledge of sport going back to the 40s. He would have
:11:12. > :11:15.been a fantastic pub quiz team companion, given his knowledge on
:11:16. > :11:19.almost any subject. There was barely any thing he knew nothing about. He
:11:20. > :11:28.could always tell you something new about a subject. He was a hugely
:11:29. > :11:33.intelligent man with a fine mind, but he was at home with anybody. He
:11:34. > :11:39.had a remarkable talent for remembering people's names. He would
:11:40. > :11:41.meet people ten years on from perhaps there only meeting and
:11:42. > :11:53.remember their names and what he had said to them. How he did this, I
:11:54. > :11:57.don't know, that many people remarked on this. The public
:11:58. > :12:07.associate him with being someone who had a deep interest in other people.
:12:08. > :12:16.He will be missed by his family, but so many around Wales, and beyond.
:12:17. > :12:21.Last week, we lost a giant of our nation. He is gone, but of course,
:12:22. > :12:32.his name is written into our history.
:12:33. > :12:47.I call on the leader of the Welsh Conservatives, Andrew RT Davies. May
:12:48. > :12:53.we pass on our deepest condolences to Julie, from myself personally and
:12:54. > :13:00.from many here. I remember when I made the comment when I first met
:13:01. > :13:06.Rhodri Morgan, and I try to stop my cattle going into his garden. You
:13:07. > :13:13.often get many direct individuals when you have cattle doing a merry
:13:14. > :13:20.dance and their garden. However, Rhodri Morgan was interested in what
:13:21. > :13:26.type of cattle they were! It encapsulates who he was. He was a
:13:27. > :13:33.man who had a willingness to know, a thirst to understand, and above all,
:13:34. > :13:40.he was a decent, right individual and I had a privilege to serve term
:13:41. > :13:46.in this Assembly, and as a new member, admittedly from another
:13:47. > :13:52.party, he always engaged, discussed things and you always felt you had
:13:53. > :13:57.that sense of camaraderie with him. I feel deeply privileged that I was
:13:58. > :14:02.able to serve with him in this institution, and the way in which he
:14:03. > :14:07.conducted himself in the role, as First Minister, which it has been
:14:08. > :14:11.pointed out he had huge prize in occupying a position and wanted this
:14:12. > :14:18.institution to succeed. We owe him as a country a great debt of
:14:19. > :14:23.gratitude. He stabilised the ship, along with others, when this
:14:24. > :14:31.institution's future was not secure, and there was a huge question mark.
:14:32. > :14:37.He made sure devolution turned into a permanent part of our country and
:14:38. > :14:43.our democracy, here in Wales. I would remember the times when he
:14:44. > :14:47.would be in here as First Minister, very often not quite on his own on
:14:48. > :14:52.the Government bench, but he would start the First Minister's Questions
:14:53. > :14:58.quite happily, with a handful of colleagues around and it was a
:14:59. > :15:02.different time in those days, 2007-2008, and he would give you a
:15:03. > :15:06.detailed answer, one that you might disagree with but you could
:15:07. > :15:11.understand where he was coming from, and where the Government was coming
:15:12. > :15:15.from. One thing that struck me as a new member to this institution, the
:15:16. > :15:19.way in which he engaged in these proceedings. How he would sit here
:15:20. > :15:29.with papers in front of him, working through them, and his House
:15:30. > :15:38.of Commons backgrounds, but from my perspective, as a young farmer,
:15:39. > :15:43.three there debating societies, I got used to this and I remember him
:15:44. > :15:49.moving to the backbenches and I think he occupied the seat that
:15:50. > :15:54.Julie sits in today. Perhaps you could confirm that, but it's roughly
:15:55. > :15:59.there. Again, he wasn't a First Minister he went on a backbenches
:16:00. > :16:04.and sat quietly, he engaged, with that thirst and appetite for life
:16:05. > :16:14.that could be an inspiration to us all, I would suggest. I don't
:16:15. > :16:21.profess to be a friend with Rhodri Morgan in personal cents but I feel
:16:22. > :16:26.hugely privileged, and I'm sure the many of my group would refer to him
:16:27. > :16:32.as a political friends and acquaintance.
:16:33. > :16:39.He would calm people as he met them and put them at their ease. He would
:16:40. > :16:44.show an interest by picking up the name. I am grateful for the First
:16:45. > :16:48.Minister who run after the first ministers debate to inform me of the
:16:49. > :16:52.tragic news like he did with the other leaders. I was speaking to my
:16:53. > :16:58.wife after and she remembers a function we attended. Husbands
:16:59. > :17:03.attended with their respective spouses in the political world,
:17:04. > :17:08.those type of events are regarded with her because you are being
:17:09. > :17:14.thrown to the wolves. Rhodri sat beside Julia Abbas luncheon, put her
:17:15. > :17:19.at her ease, and was genuinely confused by what she was doing,
:17:20. > :17:24.wanting to know about the things in life that she was interested in.
:17:25. > :17:30.Likewise, Julia was asking the questions back. That was Rhodri, he
:17:31. > :17:34.could put you at your ease. He could understand what you were talking
:17:35. > :17:41.about and he could also offered you an answer and a perspective on life
:17:42. > :17:47.which encapsulating the man that he was. He was a thoroughly decent,
:17:48. > :17:53.honourable, upright individual. We are, as a country, extremely
:17:54. > :17:57.fortunate that we have a man of such calibre at the outset of devolution,
:17:58. > :18:05.taking the chair, steadying the ship and putting us on the journey we are
:18:06. > :18:08.born. As I open my remarks, I will close, up by reinforcing my
:18:09. > :18:13.condolences to Julie and the rest of the family. The loss must be huge
:18:14. > :18:17.but with the passage of time, hopefully the grief that you feel
:18:18. > :18:25.will be put to one side for many happy and warm memories that you
:18:26. > :18:30.will have of indeed a great man. I call on the leader of Plaid Cymru,
:18:31. > :18:36.Leanne Wood. On behalf of Plaid Cymru I would like to express my
:18:37. > :18:40.condolences to Julia and the family, colleagues and everybody that new
:18:41. > :18:44.Rhodri Morgan. I am sure that everybody that knew him had fond
:18:45. > :18:53.memories of, not only as the leader of the country but as a person of
:18:54. > :18:57.tenderness, and warmth. Many people in this chamber worked with him as
:18:58. > :19:02.First Minister. My memory is of the leader that was willing to engage,
:19:03. > :19:08.he was quick thinking and he was a real character. And he was a
:19:09. > :19:13.patriot. He was willing to listen to others whilst setting out his own
:19:14. > :19:19.review and vision for Wales. The phrase, man of the people, is used a
:19:20. > :19:23.lot in politics but with Rhodri it is well deserved. He was well-known
:19:24. > :19:28.and popular with working people and with people outside of his own
:19:29. > :19:34.Party. He was a politician that people could relate to. He had a dry
:19:35. > :19:40.and memorable sense of humour but beyond his personality, those people
:19:41. > :19:44.close to him can also be very proud of his political legacy. Rhodri
:19:45. > :19:49.Morgan that lead this nation in the early years of devolution. In those
:19:50. > :19:52.difficult and precarious times. He formed the first coalition
:19:53. > :20:03.Government with the Liberal Democrats and Labour governed
:20:04. > :20:05.alongside my Party in the Wales Government from 2007-11. Those are
:20:06. > :20:10.important steps in the early years of our democracy. Rhodri proved that
:20:11. > :20:13.Wales could unite and that devolution could see multiple
:20:14. > :20:20.parties exercise political power and that we could all work together
:20:21. > :20:24.jointly. Through his tenure as First Minister of this nation, he ensured
:20:25. > :20:28.that the foundations of devolution were cemented to ensure that it
:20:29. > :20:32.would outlast his time as First Minister. It was under his
:20:33. > :20:37.leadership of the country that of this Assembly took its first steps
:20:38. > :20:43.away from Westminster in terms of public policy. Doing things
:20:44. > :20:51.differently in a unique, Welsh way, was part of Rhodri's political
:20:52. > :20:54.mantra. He will be well remembered. Rhodri's Way struck a chord with
:20:55. > :21:01.people across all parties and resonated with those who had
:21:02. > :21:06.initially been sceptical about devolution. As a Assembly Members,
:21:07. > :21:10.we still benefit from that legacy today. Without Rhodri Morgan and you
:21:11. > :21:15.could argue that we would not be on the cusp of assuming greater
:21:16. > :21:23.responsibilities as an institution. I would close my remarks with an
:21:24. > :21:27.observation. When asked in 2008 about this country's greatest
:21:28. > :21:31.achievement since devolution, he answered that it was a growing sense
:21:32. > :21:37.of confidence and our willingness to make our own decisions. Without
:21:38. > :21:51.Rhodri Morgan Wales would not be the country that it is today. I call on
:21:52. > :21:57.the leader of the Ukip group, Neil Hamilton. I would like on behalf of
:21:58. > :22:03.my Party to repeat the condolences that had been given to Julia and
:22:04. > :22:10.other members of Rhodri's family. I overlapped in the House of Commons
:22:11. > :22:17.with Rhodri for ten years from 19 87 until 1997. Despite political
:22:18. > :22:22.opposition, he was a gentle man who had time to talk. I warmed to him
:22:23. > :22:26.because it was immediately clear that whilst fiercely loyal to his
:22:27. > :22:31.own Party he was always going to be his own man and a paid-up member of
:22:32. > :22:40.the awkward squad. He was devoted to the fundamental decencies of life.
:22:41. > :22:44.He was able to accept the sincerity of other people. He had no personal
:22:45. > :22:50.rancour towards anyone even if they had opinions diverged radically from
:22:51. > :22:54.his. He never believed that the Democratic debate was improved by
:22:55. > :22:57.mudslinging and abuse. He was broad-minded enough to recognise
:22:58. > :23:03.that people can be sincere in their desire to do good at the
:23:04. > :23:09.fundamentally differ. He was part of socialist thinking that owed more to
:23:10. > :23:13.method is a man to Karl Marx. He was a nonconformist in the general
:23:14. > :23:16.sense. His unruly hair being a metaphor for his ability not to be
:23:17. > :23:22.controlled by anything other than his own conscious. The Daily
:23:23. > :23:28.Telegraph described him as an off message MP who defied Tony Blair to
:23:29. > :23:31.become First Minister. It was disappointing in 1997 when Tony
:23:32. > :23:36.Blair did not offer him a ministerial post. He could've been
:23:37. > :23:42.done a favour. It meant that Rhodri Morgan, whilst more wild man of the
:23:43. > :23:45.left, was the antithesis of the type of politician that Tony Blair
:23:46. > :23:49.favoured. He suffered disappointment and use the Freedom of the
:23:50. > :23:53.backbenches to throw himself enthusiastically into the campaign
:23:54. > :23:57.for the establishment of this National Assembly. He has been
:23:58. > :24:06.rightly dubbed as the father of Welsh devolution. Not only for his
:24:07. > :24:09.role in the original campaign but his ten as First Minister. He did as
:24:10. > :24:11.much as anyone to establish this Assembly as a permanent feature of
:24:12. > :24:17.Welsh life, confounding the initial scepticism of people like me. It
:24:18. > :24:22.might not be strong to argue that without him I may not be here today
:24:23. > :24:28.but who can deny this forum and a vigorous clash of opinions will be
:24:29. > :24:33.his lasting memorial. We made a TV programme last year together. Like
:24:34. > :24:36.all men, we entertained each other about stories of the old days in the
:24:37. > :24:42.House of Commons and the characters that crossed her path. He and his
:24:43. > :24:45.his surprise decision to resign as First Minister on his 70th birthday
:24:46. > :24:52.and said there is never a great time to go but better not to outstay his
:24:53. > :24:57.welcome. At only 77 years old, this is not the right time for him to go.
:24:58. > :25:07.Wales is much cooler for his untimely departure. As a selfless
:25:08. > :25:09.public servant, he was universally respected across the political
:25:10. > :25:15.spectrum and loved as the warmest of human beings by legions of people
:25:16. > :25:19.who he encountered. I can truly say that Rhodri Morgan was one of the
:25:20. > :25:25.most admirable men that I have had the pleasure of knowing and is an
:25:26. > :25:28.honour to walk in his Shadow. I call on Kirsty Williams to speak on
:25:29. > :25:38.behalf of the Welsh Liberal Democrats. We will hear much today,
:25:39. > :25:45.I suspect, about Rhodri, being one of us. That is, was indisputably
:25:46. > :25:50.true. What we must also recognise is that he stood out and he stood
:25:51. > :25:53.taller than ours as well. As a politician and as a leader, as a
:25:54. > :25:59.father figure and friendly to those of us from the class of 99 and the
:26:00. > :26:03.communities across Wales. Many of the tributes have talked about his
:26:04. > :26:10.personality as being distinct from his skills as a politician. I think
:26:11. > :26:14.that they will very much be one and the same. Robert Kennedy described
:26:15. > :26:22.politics as the most honourable profession. I know that Rhodri would
:26:23. > :26:28.have placed that second only to being fly half for Wales. Being a
:26:29. > :26:32.politician committed to ideals and values, representing community and
:26:33. > :26:37.country is an honourable profession that one should not apologise for.
:26:38. > :26:42.There is great honour in the leadership that he brought to this
:26:43. > :26:47.place. And to the very notion of Welsh self-government. Those of us
:26:48. > :26:52.here back in those awkward few months and years of Welsh democracy,
:26:53. > :26:57.we will always remember and be thankful for the skill and the
:26:58. > :27:05.steadiness that he brought to this institution and to the role of First
:27:06. > :27:14.Minister. Those skills came from his nature as a person. Everyone here
:27:15. > :27:19.will have a story or two, or three, about Rhodri Morgan. It will never
:27:20. > :27:25.be as many as the stories, facts and tales that Rhodri had about every
:27:26. > :27:32.village, town, rugby team, sporting occasion, he was always great
:27:33. > :27:38.company. He showed me great professional and personal kindness.
:27:39. > :27:43.As we have heard, he was an intensely proud family man. He was
:27:44. > :27:50.also interested in your family. He always had time to ask me about my
:27:51. > :27:54.girls. And just like Julia, my husband Richard is a reluctant
:27:55. > :27:59.participant in some of the formal events where demand has presence.
:28:00. > :28:10.Rhodri always had time for him. Always wanting to know about the
:28:11. > :28:15.cattle and the lambing season. He wrote to myself and to my late
:28:16. > :28:20.father. My father could not believe that the First Minister of Wales had
:28:21. > :28:32.taken the time to write to him about his loss. He was a decent, decent
:28:33. > :28:37.man. On behalf of the Welsh Liberal Democrats and me personally, and my
:28:38. > :28:49.family, my greatest sympathy to Julie, to you and yours. Rhodri was
:28:50. > :28:55.my friend and leader as First Minister and also my constituent. We
:28:56. > :28:58.shared great enthusiasm for the beautiful Vale of Glamorgan. Rhodri
:28:59. > :29:05.always had time to campaign with me but he also loved his local walks.
:29:06. > :29:09.Swimming in the sea with Julie. I have a memory from a friend about
:29:10. > :29:14.Rhodri spending time for two young boys on a beach and entertaining
:29:15. > :29:20.them on the subject of dinosaur footprints. Most recently, and
:29:21. > :29:27.joined the produce from his garden. A very special Spanish omelette from
:29:28. > :29:31.the ex from his latest batch of chickens from the Riverside market.
:29:32. > :29:39.I also remember visiting a primary school on fair trade tea and meeting
:29:40. > :29:49.his grandson. He was holding out this huge banana, very knowledgeable
:29:50. > :29:54.on fair trade issues. Knowing Rhodri and Julia's close friend, Shia
:29:55. > :29:59.political commitments. It takes me back to the early 1980s. I visited
:30:00. > :30:04.him when he was the head of the European office in Wales. I was
:30:05. > :30:10.asking for help for European funding is for the South Glamorgan women's
:30:11. > :30:16.workshop. He secured the funding. When Matt workshop opened in 1994,
:30:17. > :30:21.training women in IT skills and electronics, I requested the title
:30:22. > :30:26.of being women only. He backed us all the way and 35 years later,
:30:27. > :30:30.thousands of women and children have benefited from Matt workshop, always
:30:31. > :30:43.a champion for women's rights. Thank you, Rhodri.
:30:44. > :30:53.Much has been made and said Rhodri's capacity for detail and it is worth
:30:54. > :30:59.remembering he was looking to the big policy ideas that could move
:31:00. > :31:06.Wales forwards. When I was health and Social Services Minister, he
:31:07. > :31:12.made it prominent that he was concerned with Social Services as
:31:13. > :31:20.much as the NHS. He appointed the first children's commissioner in
:31:21. > :31:31.2001,. People from Voices In Care knew he was listening. A ?1.9
:31:32. > :31:37.billion health budget compared with over 7 billion now. We didn't do
:31:38. > :31:42.PFA, we brought in free prescriptions and Rhodri Morgan
:31:43. > :31:49.opens the medical centre at Swansea University. He was passionate about
:31:50. > :31:52.primary care, championing outstanding scientists to put Wales
:31:53. > :31:58.at the forefront of medical research. He appointed the chief
:31:59. > :32:05.scientific adviser for Wales, which has been so significant. His
:32:06. > :32:10.contribution to education has been significant. He recognised the
:32:11. > :32:17.importance of investing in the early years, bringing higher education to
:32:18. > :32:21.the ballets, dealing with the 21st-century school building
:32:22. > :32:27.programme. Today, the horrific attack in Manchester is at the
:32:28. > :32:33.forefront of our thoughts. We must remember Rhodri Morgan's swift
:32:34. > :32:38.response to 911, bringing forth all the faith leaders in our forum to
:32:39. > :32:44.establish new relationships that have survived, through thick and
:32:45. > :32:54.thin, today. Julie and I were at the Hindu community centre, where faith
:32:55. > :33:01.leaders assembled, many of whom are here today. Rhodri Morgan listened
:33:02. > :33:06.and take action. Much has been said about his ability to relate to
:33:07. > :33:14.people every day, everywhere he went, in Wales. He also looked out
:33:15. > :33:29.to the wider world. Wales That Africa, is being celebrated in the
:33:30. > :33:32.Senedd soon. I have been so fortunate to know and work with
:33:33. > :33:38.Rhodri Morgan, as a truly inspiring Rhodri Morgan, as a truly inspiring
:33:39. > :33:42.leader, who defines the meaning and importance of devolution for Wales,
:33:43. > :33:50.whilst carving a distinct identity for Welsh Labour. We must remember
:33:51. > :34:00.his legacy as a great and good leader and friend to Wales.
:34:01. > :34:04.Extraordinary, inspirational, genuine, original, unique. All
:34:05. > :34:13.additives that had been used to describe Rhodri Morgan over the past
:34:14. > :34:21.few days, each one accurate. I met Julie and Rhodri 20 years ago for
:34:22. > :34:25.the Yes For Wales campaign. The history of this campaign is very
:34:26. > :34:34.well-known. Rhodri Morgan absolutely believed time would come, often
:34:35. > :34:44.quoting one of his analogies, three tries for a Welshman. He wanted to
:34:45. > :34:48.insure that devolution work for everyone in Wales by steadying the
:34:49. > :34:53.ship and providing access in all leadership. Devolution will be his
:34:54. > :34:58.political legacy, without him it would have been a more difficult
:34:59. > :35:05.journey. I have been elected by the people of Wrexham to serve under
:35:06. > :35:10.Rhodri Morgan. He encouraged me and I owe him a great deal. I will never
:35:11. > :35:17.forget his personal support and encouragement over the last decade.
:35:18. > :35:21.I sought his advice and wisdom and I remember during a very unpleasant
:35:22. > :35:30.day during an election campaign where opponents were hurling in
:35:31. > :35:34.personal insults, he rang me to phone me and tell me that the
:35:35. > :35:42.politics were playing the ball and not the man. It is not possible to
:35:43. > :35:44.think of him for long without remembering a story that makes use
:35:45. > :35:54.'s remembering a story
:35:55. > :36:10.that makes you smile. one time he arrived from visiting
:36:11. > :36:15.flood victims hoping for a Sunday lunch. But it was my daughter's
:36:16. > :36:19.birthday so there was no lunch on offer. He rolled up his sleeves and
:36:20. > :36:30.help me prepare my daughter's birthday party, and then cleaned up
:36:31. > :36:35.afterwards. Following his retirement as First Minister, he decided he
:36:36. > :36:40.really needed to learn how to send an e-mail, and on the Friday after
:36:41. > :36:46.stepping down, he e-mailed me to congratulate me on my appointment as
:36:47. > :36:49.Deputy First Minister, saying I should treasure it!
:36:50. > :36:56.LAUGHTER He sat behind the directly in the
:36:57. > :37:03.Chamber and often used to ask me in a very loud whisper, did I fancy a
:37:04. > :37:13.cup of tea? I decided to show him the messaging Chamber in the --
:37:14. > :37:21.system in the Chamber, and from then on I was his 24-hour IT support. He
:37:22. > :37:24.had no airs and no graces. He was passionate about Wales and the
:37:25. > :37:34.people. It didn't matter what town or city, in Wales, you visited him.
:37:35. > :37:37.He had an encyclopaedic knowledge of Wales, and made everyone feel
:37:38. > :37:43.comfortable and at ease, and that is why he was such a popular politician
:37:44. > :37:49.known everywhere by his first name. His loss is felt by so many people
:37:50. > :37:55.which is emphasised to me on a visit to Wrexham hospital last week, when
:37:56. > :37:58.several people stopped me in the corridor to tell me that they felt
:37:59. > :38:03.they had lost a friend, even though they had never met him. It was a
:38:04. > :38:09.pleasure to be in his company, and he was ready to share his knowledge
:38:10. > :38:14.with you. I valued his friendship and will miss him greatly. His top
:38:15. > :38:20.priority in life with his family, to whom he was devoted. Mine and my
:38:21. > :38:27.daughter's thoughts are with Julie and his family, at this difficult
:38:28. > :38:35.time. Thank you, Rhodri. Sleep well, comrades. As the chair of the Welsh
:38:36. > :38:41.Conservatives party group and the only member elected in 1999, it is
:38:42. > :38:49.my sad honour to make this tribute. Debbie
:38:50. > :38:59.-- devolution was a shaky subject when it first appeared. It had not
:39:00. > :39:03.created a stable Government. Rhodri Morgan provided the energy and
:39:04. > :39:12.vision that devolution needed to succeed in Wales. He was a tough
:39:13. > :39:18.opponent, and I think we should be candid in recognising this. But as
:39:19. > :39:26.was said of Churchill, any anger was like lightning. Bright, decisive and
:39:27. > :39:31.quickly passing. While his powerful memory was rightly famous, it did
:39:32. > :39:36.not extend to bearing political grudges, and we all know that is a
:39:37. > :39:45.rare quality, and generosity of heart that is. At the heart of his
:39:46. > :39:51.vision was that Wales must become a political nation to match and
:39:52. > :39:54.advanced it cultural and historical achievements, and all our political
:39:55. > :40:03.traditions have a part in that which he nobly recognised. When he stepped
:40:04. > :40:07.down as First Minister, devolution was constitutionally embedded and
:40:08. > :40:12.was about to receive a two thirds majority in a referendum for primary
:40:13. > :40:17.lawmaking powers. His service to the Welsh nation will be seen as the
:40:18. > :40:22.greatest of his generation of politicians. It was a service that
:40:23. > :40:28.was supported and sustained by a long and happy marriage. I extend my
:40:29. > :40:40.deepest sympathies and those of my colleagues to Julie and the whole
:40:41. > :40:46.family. I started to knock doors to persuade the citizens of Cardiff
:40:47. > :40:58.West to vote for Rhodri Morgan in the famous victory in 1987. When the
:40:59. > :41:04.constituency overturned the first time in its history, returned to the
:41:05. > :41:09.hands of the Labour Party. I heard him speak publicly fortnight ago,
:41:10. > :41:13.reliving the excitement of that campaign, and the start of a 30 year
:41:14. > :41:21.relationship with communities across Cardiff West. Because, if the name
:41:22. > :41:36.of Rhodri Morgan was new to many in 1987, it didn't stay like that for
:41:37. > :41:46.too long. As he fought against the barrage... In fighting against the
:41:47. > :41:59.quango state, the producer and director of that famous Welsh film
:42:00. > :42:06.Last Quango In Powys, as I referred to it so often, what was a marginal
:42:07. > :42:15.seat was now firmly in the grasp of Rhodri Morgan. Not that this was the
:42:16. > :42:29.result of anything but hard work. The weekly surgeries, the public
:42:30. > :42:35.meetings, the community engagements. Patsy became more prominent on the
:42:36. > :42:43.national stage, but wherever he was needed locally, he was there. Jane
:42:44. > :42:52.Hutt and I work the councillors for the riverside warding Cardiff West.
:42:53. > :42:55.Sue Essex and Jane Davidson were for Cardiff East. We invited residents
:42:56. > :43:02.to put up flyers in their windows if they wanted us to call. Once every
:43:03. > :43:09.so often we would be joined by Rhodri Morgan. Instead of the usual
:43:10. > :43:23.three or four takers, a dozen leaflets would go up MP Paul's
:43:24. > :43:28.windows. -- in people's windows. Everyone of was disappointed to see
:43:29. > :43:32.us, instead they were hoping to see Rhodri Morgan. We would return to
:43:33. > :43:41.the first House and there would be a member of Parliament for Cardiff
:43:42. > :43:45.West. Three cousins in common, two cups of tea, a couple of Welsh
:43:46. > :43:52.cakes, they thought he was wonderful and they were right. It's no
:43:53. > :43:57.surprise why 1997 and the general election, the first Assembly
:43:58. > :44:01.elections, the Cardiff voters were returning Rhodri Morgan with
:44:02. > :44:11.majorities that, I told him at the time, will be the envy of Albania,
:44:12. > :44:21.the one place he didn't have political contacts or relationships.
:44:22. > :44:26.It passed safely onto his close friend, and advisor, Kevin Brennan.
:44:27. > :44:31.He was then free to juggled the political demands of being First
:44:32. > :44:36.Minister of Wales and the fierce energy he brought to representing
:44:37. > :44:42.individuals and communities in his own constituency. A relationship
:44:43. > :44:49.that continues well beyond his formal retirement in 2011. Knocking
:44:50. > :44:57.doors over the past few days in Cardiff West has been a slow and
:44:58. > :45:00.painful process. Full of tears and laughter as household after
:45:01. > :45:17.household has its own Rhodri Morgan story to tell. There are many
:45:18. > :45:23.individuals during those years of devolution but I want to end with
:45:24. > :45:27.this story. You remember the rocky, early days where he stabilised the
:45:28. > :45:32.devolution project and set it on course. It's hard to add something
:45:33. > :45:37.new to that narrative but what I want to see this afternoon is that
:45:38. > :45:42.underneath that sparkling surface, that ability to tilt to anyone about
:45:43. > :45:47.anything, went a hugely serious political purpose. The creation of
:45:48. > :45:51.this institution, the putting power in the hands of the Welsh people to
:45:52. > :45:56.decide on issues that effect only them. The embedding of this
:45:57. > :46:24.throughout Wales. Charles The would have been envious. What a
:46:25. > :46:30.different ways this is to May 2000, in those earliest days of Rhodri
:46:31. > :46:39.Morgan as First Minister and because of Rhodri Morgan is as
:46:40. > :46:47.Llywydd, devolution is a project with our study. All was included in
:46:48. > :46:53.it have had a hand in its creation. Much of what we have faced we come
:46:54. > :46:57.across for the first time. The loss of the former First Minister and a
:46:58. > :47:07.friend is exactly that sort of event. It leaves us raw and
:47:08. > :47:10.struggling to despond. Of this we can be sure, without Rhodri Morgan
:47:11. > :47:18.that journey that we have all been known would have been very different
:47:19. > :47:30.and far, far more difficult. John Griffiths. Thank you for the
:47:31. > :47:34.opportunity to pay tribute to Rhodri Morgan in the Senedd today. And the
:47:35. > :47:41.presence of Julie who had such a strong partnership with Rhodri in
:47:42. > :47:46.marriage and politically. It was a privilege, Llywydd, to serve with
:47:47. > :47:52.Rhodri in the Assembly and indeed in Government. I am very great mint to
:47:53. > :47:58.Rhodri for giving me the first opportunities as a member of his
:47:59. > :48:03.Government. To work with him was a pleasure. His commitment to
:48:04. > :48:09.socialism, Wales and devolution and his lively sense of humour made it a
:48:10. > :48:15.great pleasure. I remember in his early days as first Secretary,
:48:16. > :48:19.Rhodri speaking at so many events at the Assembly, in Cardiff Bay, out
:48:20. > :48:26.and about on a wide variety of matters. And always displaying that
:48:27. > :48:31.breadth and depth of interest and knowledge that made Oliver is very
:48:32. > :48:37.proud that we had such a First Minister. -- that made all of us
:48:38. > :48:40.very proud. That was in evidence at the International gathering of
:48:41. > :48:46.leading figures that I recount in the Celtic Manor when he gave a tour
:48:47. > :48:50.de force on the history and culture of Wales and so many people came up
:48:51. > :48:56.to me and said afterwards that we must be very proud to have a leader
:48:57. > :49:06.with such a depth of knowledge on the history of Wales and its
:49:07. > :49:08.culture. On accompanying Rhodri to steelworks was an interesting
:49:09. > :49:17.experience. Everybody there with decades of experience of steelworks,
:49:18. > :49:21.his knowledge of industrial processes and products. It is not
:49:22. > :49:26.only two of the steel industry but also true of visits to different
:49:27. > :49:34.sectors that made up and make up our economy in Wales. And when he came
:49:35. > :49:38.along to Newport for the rugby games, not playing Cardiff Blues but
:49:39. > :49:46.other opponents such as monster. He was a huge hit on the terraces
:49:47. > :49:51.because of his passion for rugby and for sport, and his vocal support and
:49:52. > :49:55.willingness to engage in banter around Cardiff Blues and Newport
:49:56. > :50:04.Dragons. And the different merits and results, and successes. And of
:50:05. > :50:08.course on the streets and doorsteps. Rhodri was incredibly popular. As so
:50:09. > :50:13.many have already said today and has been said so many times outside this
:50:14. > :50:16.chamber, he had such an entirely natural and genuine ability to
:50:17. > :50:25.relate to people from so many different backgrounds. I think it is
:50:26. > :50:31.clear that his place in history is secure. Getting the Assembly up and
:50:32. > :50:37.running, and established, giving it credibility, profile and popularity.
:50:38. > :50:42.And shaping post-devolution politics in Wales and Welsh Labour politics
:50:43. > :50:47.onto that territory that we are now so familiar with, left of centre,
:50:48. > :50:58.designed for Wales, clear, red water. Simon Thomas. Thank you
:50:59. > :51:06.Llywydd. Rhodri Morgan was born to be First Minister. Not only because
:51:07. > :51:12.he had the name of Rhodri, but because of his character and
:51:13. > :51:21.personality. On two occasions, at the third attempt, he became the
:51:22. > :51:25.leader of the Party, and Assembly, Government and nation. We needed
:51:26. > :51:29.somebody in the early days of devolution that could encapsulate in
:51:30. > :51:33.his personality the nature and quality of devolution and Rhodri was
:51:34. > :51:36.that individual. The concept of devolution was vague and are
:51:37. > :51:42.difficult to understand what it meant for the person in the street,
:51:43. > :51:48.the shop, the surgery of the school. Everybody could turn to Rhodri
:51:49. > :51:55.Morgan and fully understand that this is what devolution is. Our own
:51:56. > :52:00.leader. Grenot Rhodri Morgan spoke of clear, red water, he was aiming
:52:01. > :52:06.his comments at his own Party but they weren't important words for the
:52:07. > :52:11.entire nation. -- they weren't important words. He gave people the
:52:12. > :52:15.ability to embrace devolution when they were not sure, you can be
:52:16. > :52:22.British, nationalist and still be part of the Labour family. In simple
:52:23. > :52:27.words, he encapsulated the complexities and the benefits of
:52:28. > :52:32.devolution. I have no doubt that we would be meeting today as a
:52:33. > :52:37.Parliament with full powers that it was not for Rhodri Morgan. Other
:52:38. > :52:41.people played a part but Rhodri's commitment to an agreement made in
:52:42. > :52:48.the one Wales Government to call for a referendum for a full parliament
:52:49. > :52:53.was always solid and robust. That was true, strong leadership. It was
:52:54. > :53:02.a pleasure and as the First Minister told us, it was a lesson for me to
:53:03. > :53:06.work for him during that time. I will allow others who were more
:53:07. > :53:13.friend and colleague and I was to talk about his unkempt appearance
:53:14. > :53:17.and his fear style at times. The -- he had to go a long way to find a
:53:18. > :53:21.decent pair of shoes to appear at the conference. It was his character
:53:22. > :53:25.and personality that kept his feet on the ground and it was not
:53:26. > :53:32.something that was created to hide the true personality that you find
:53:33. > :53:37.with some politicians. We go back many years in the voluntary sector
:53:38. > :53:42.in Wales. I also knew Julia as a member of Parliament in Westminster.
:53:43. > :53:49.I want to convey my deepest condolences on behalf of myself, my
:53:50. > :53:56.family to Julie and to her family. Rhodri and Julia have left a mark on
:53:57. > :54:01.myself and my family, in my early days in Westminster talking to
:54:02. > :54:07.Julie, Rhodri and Julie had a secret place in my constituency. A caravan.
:54:08. > :54:16.It sounded a wonderfully romantic idea. It sounded like what was
:54:17. > :54:23.keeping Rhodri and Julie scene and human end a politics. Within one
:54:24. > :54:31.year I had my own caravan. It was in Aberystwyth. It has kept me rounded,
:54:32. > :54:40.humane and are safe. I hope you have so many fond memories of Rhodri.
:54:41. > :54:49.TRANSLATION: As one who studied Welsh at University, I did know
:54:50. > :54:53.Rhodri Morgan's father who was a scholar and is well-known to anybody
:54:54. > :55:00.who studied the Welsh language. He was also a master the particular
:55:01. > :55:06.type of Welsh prose that takes a minor issue and expresses its huge
:55:07. > :55:11.importance. And Rhodri Morgan was a master of that art although he did
:55:12. > :55:22.it would only rather than on paper. I did get hold of a collection of
:55:23. > :55:27.essays by TJ Morgan and read it to remind me of the humour and ability
:55:28. > :55:37.to have a broad range of interests that Rhodri inherited. TJ Morgan,
:55:38. > :55:43.his father, talks about Cabot Trail. He would always emphasise the
:55:44. > :55:51.importance of this posting where you are from. It was the Morgan that
:55:52. > :55:56.gave his name to Glamorgan. There are too many Morgans in Glamorgan.
:55:57. > :56:04.And throughout South Wales generally for one family to take the name as
:56:05. > :56:07.the imperative right. Through his work and his contribution, Rhodri
:56:08. > :56:18.Morgan claimed the entire of Wales and made it. I and my family extend
:56:19. > :56:22.my deepest condolences to Julia and her family in what is a difficult
:56:23. > :56:28.time. I hope some of the tributes today have been of great solace to
:56:29. > :56:30.her and her family. Former First Minister Rhodri Morgan appeared in
:56:31. > :56:36.person to give evidence only two weeks ago for the enquiry for a
:56:37. > :56:40.stronger voice for Wales. He demonstrated as always his enduring
:56:41. > :56:44.commitment for devolution but also his passion and intellect, and his
:56:45. > :56:48.warmth and has worked, and his wisdom built on years of experience
:56:49. > :56:56.serving the people of Wales. In my brief remarks today I want to recall
:56:57. > :57:01.fond of personal memories of Rhodri. The warm and engaging Rhodri who
:57:02. > :57:04.people blocked because the system was genuinely reciprocated. When I
:57:05. > :57:14.was a Labour branch Secretary many years ago. It was matter of turned
:57:15. > :57:17.up at a rally, holding up the traffic for 20 minutes outside a
:57:18. > :57:23.newsagent and then striding down the states with the band playing and the
:57:24. > :57:27.Welsh miners banner flying and then Rhodri speaking from the back of my
:57:28. > :57:32.father-in-law's flatbed truck before going to the rugby field. And then
:57:33. > :57:40.being mobbed by people who all just wanted to say hello to Rhodri. It
:57:41. > :57:43.was in the day before herself is. Being mobbed was an occupational
:57:44. > :57:50.hazard as I discovered in Parliament. Bypass during one
:57:51. > :57:56.election was to help chaperone Rhodri around keeper Philae town
:57:57. > :58:01.centre. We struggle to make headway. Everybody wanted to talk politics
:58:02. > :58:09.rugby, or simply say hello as they had discovered a relative. Rhodri
:58:10. > :58:12.loved talking to and knowing the family relations of every single
:58:13. > :58:21.person and street in every community. No other senior statesman
:58:22. > :58:28.would risk all to attend a local charity fundraiser in my hometown. A
:58:29. > :58:34.long-time friend of Rhodri was performing live on stage. During the
:58:35. > :58:39.act, he accepted an invitation to go up on stage to take part. It was
:58:40. > :58:46.quite an unusual act. We all watched with growing concern as Rhodri Julie
:58:47. > :58:54.laid himself down on a bed of six inch nails and allowed the performer
:58:55. > :59:00.to walk across. The headlines were writing themselves in my troubled
:59:01. > :59:05.mind. I know I will not be alone in this, I will remember the selfless
:59:06. > :59:09.way in which he encouraged me and others to take up the mantle of
:59:10. > :59:15.public service and to stand for election. I can only -- honestly say
:59:16. > :59:18.I would not have done so without his gentle and busways of persistence.
:59:19. > :59:26.This was a noble calling worth pursuing. Importantly, he also
:59:27. > :59:30.persuaded my wife that I should. I never regretted it. Not least
:59:31. > :59:35.because myself and others continue to look up to people like Rhodri as
:59:36. > :59:40.role models of lifelong public service in Westminster and here in
:59:41. > :59:46.Wales. To scale the political heights as he did, he had to detain
:59:47. > :59:52.the common touch with such ease, it shows the measure of the man and the
:59:53. > :59:56.friend we have lost. His legacy is great and enduring. Rhodri Morgan
:59:57. > :59:57.was a true servant of Wales and the true friend to everyone that he
:59:58. > :00:08.knew. First of all, Julie, it is so
:00:09. > :00:14.typical of you and of Rhodri that you should be with us in this place
:00:15. > :00:21.today. Thank you for being here. It enables us to address you warmly as
:00:22. > :00:23.I do on the part of my own long-standing friendship with you
:00:24. > :00:34.and the family going back so many years. TRANSLATION: I first worked
:00:35. > :00:37.with Rhodri Morgan when he was elected to the House of Commons as
:00:38. > :00:47.member of Parliament for Cardiff West in 1987. He had vast experience
:00:48. > :00:54.before becoming a member of Parliament and it is important that
:00:55. > :00:59.we mention his intellect and the scholarly nature of the family as we
:01:00. > :01:04.have already had reference to. I have been a friend of his brother
:01:05. > :01:09.and fondly remembered his father because he stood head and shoulders
:01:10. > :01:17.above the scholars of Welsh literature in the 1960s. He was far
:01:18. > :01:24.more engaging as a lecturer and the rest of them and that talent was
:01:25. > :01:29.passed to Rhodri. He was himself a scholar, graduating from Oxford and
:01:30. > :01:33.Harvard having been a research in local and central Government, an
:01:34. > :01:38.economic adviser to the Department of Trade and Industry, a development
:01:39. > :01:48.officer for South Glamorgan, County Council and head of Community
:01:49. > :01:53.office. I recall him coming to the Commons and I was surprised by his
:01:54. > :01:59.ability to secure promotion so swiftly. I had been a backbencher
:02:00. > :02:05.and inadequate leader of the slightly smaller Party. As we
:02:06. > :02:09.remember in Westminster, he was the official opposition spokesperson on
:02:10. > :02:14.the environment, on energy and of course, on Welsh affairs. That is
:02:15. > :02:24.when the foundations of devolution were laid from 1997. His final act
:02:25. > :02:29.in Westminster was to become the chair of the House of Commons Select
:02:30. > :02:33.Committee on Public Administration and it is important that I mention
:02:34. > :02:39.his contribution as a parliamentarian in the UK. He was
:02:40. > :02:43.not some kind of maverick, he was a talented parliamentarian who could
:02:44. > :02:48.use all of the skills of Parliament to confuse the Government. I can
:02:49. > :02:52.recall the almost military requirement of policy to oppose the
:02:53. > :03:01.barrage and Rhodri was behind all of that. When he came here, I could
:03:02. > :03:07.keep you here all day. You all know of the wonderful tenure and long
:03:08. > :03:12.relationship that I had with Rhodri as first Presiding Officer. He was
:03:13. > :03:20.the first First Minister. He was the man who created that post for
:03:21. > :03:25.himself. That incident is something I made a major before concluding
:03:26. > :03:31.this afternoon. It was around 1pm in the afternoon and at that time, I
:03:32. > :03:36.think the Assembly would gather at 2:30pm in the older chamber. The
:03:37. > :03:45.message had been issued that Rhodri Morgan wished to change his title.
:03:46. > :03:52.He informed the den Presiding Officer and said that the title was
:03:53. > :04:00.to be First Minister. We then got to the nitty-gritty. What was the
:04:01. > :04:07.correct Welsh translation for First Minister? Some translators who
:04:08. > :04:19.remain nameless, who does not work at this place any longer, had
:04:20. > :04:23.translated First Minister as... Very rarely in 1's life does he feel he
:04:24. > :04:28.has authority on any night -- any issue but I knew that his
:04:29. > :04:34.pronunciation was the First Minister that came to chapel and then there
:04:35. > :04:37.was another one following that. I tried to explain there was two ways
:04:38. > :04:50.of seeing it in Welsh. There's only one translation of this.
:04:51. > :05:00.That was 15 minutes before the Assembly sat. The message came back
:05:01. > :05:09.that the First Minister gladly except that he'll be described as
:05:10. > :05:13.First Minister in English. I was the first person in the universe to use
:05:14. > :05:49.those words. Prif Weinidog Cymru. Rhodri Morgan
:05:50. > :05:56.became the very first Prif Weinidog Cymru. He understood the
:05:57. > :06:01.constitution through his great intellect. It was in his bones. He
:06:02. > :06:06.understood the principles and a separation between Government and
:06:07. > :06:08.Assembly. And they need to scrutinise Government by being
:06:09. > :06:13.independent and the ability for Government to take criticism. That
:06:14. > :06:22.was all there because it was in his own experiences as a parliamentarian
:06:23. > :06:26.in Westminster. We could then proceeds to build what we had built.
:06:27. > :06:29.He was not in favour of this building. He wanted an extension. He
:06:30. > :06:48.did not get his way. I am delighted we are to celebrate
:06:49. > :06:51.his passing in this place. Appropriately in this building. It
:06:52. > :06:57.is the building for the people of Wales. Bodybuilder -- Rhodri Morgan
:06:58. > :07:06.built on the politics that made this possible. I have the honour to know
:07:07. > :07:10.Rhodri Morgan over many decades. That was not exceptional. Everybody
:07:11. > :07:15.involved in the Labour Party in Wales knew him at some time or
:07:16. > :07:21.another. Everybody in Wales knew him at some time or another. I knew his
:07:22. > :07:24.personal kindness to me and to my late wife, Elaine. I would like to
:07:25. > :07:29.make a specific tribute on the half of those thousands of people in
:07:30. > :07:34.Wales who like Rhodri Morgan, gave several decades of their lives to
:07:35. > :07:39.the campaign against apartheid in South Africa. And the international
:07:40. > :07:40.support and cultural Boycott of that eventually contributed to the
:07:41. > :08:03.downfall of the apartheid regime. Rhodri was a founder member of the
:08:04. > :08:08.Welsh anti-apartheid movement. He was at the forefront of that
:08:09. > :08:13.movement. And alongside many other major Welsh political figures such
:08:14. > :08:26.as Neil Kinnock, Lord Brooks, Phil Squire, the leader of the liberal
:08:27. > :08:31.council. Bob Morgan. Rhodri alongside Julie was always there in
:08:32. > :08:37.that campaign. In the 1980s he was part of a delegation to
:08:38. > :08:44.renationalise Stanford which established a cultural boycott. He
:08:45. > :08:50.supported the Rugby boycott. Something that was not easy for an
:08:51. > :08:55.ardent rugby fan. He actively campaigned and supported the release
:08:56. > :08:59.of Nelson Mandela. Upon his release from prison, Nelson Mandela that is,
:09:00. > :09:04.he spoke about the special link between Wales and South Africa. This
:09:05. > :09:11.was recognised by Nelson Mandela and bio -- and by the African National
:09:12. > :09:15.Congress. He was a participant in the famous Welsh fundraising
:09:16. > :09:19.sponsored walk held here to raise funds for charities, commemorating
:09:20. > :09:23.the Soweto massacre. It is a walkabout carries on to this day. It
:09:24. > :09:36.is a walk that he enjoyed. It was five days. -- it was five miles.
:09:37. > :09:40.Alongside so many, Rhodri was a spokesman for all that was so good
:09:41. > :09:44.in Wales for standing up against injustice wherever it occurred. And
:09:45. > :09:49.in the best internationalist traditions of Wales. On half of all
:09:50. > :09:54.of those who were involved in that movement and that they would like me
:09:55. > :09:58.to say thank you, Rhodri, you read a great campaigner for justice and
:09:59. > :10:13.international solidarity. You played your part in Wales helping to bring
:10:14. > :10:18.the spectre of a Party to an end. Position-mac I rise as a member of
:10:19. > :10:29.the class of 99. And also as the child of the Plaid Cymru. I met him
:10:30. > :10:35.in 1996. -- as the chairman. We met on a panel discussing the health
:10:36. > :10:40.service back in 1996. I remember him being surprised that a young doctor
:10:41. > :10:46.wanted to venture into this world of politics. I was rather surprised
:10:47. > :10:49.myself to be honest and I am still slightly surprised. That is my
:10:50. > :11:01.earliest memory of Rhodri Morgan. He was great company. The original 60
:11:02. > :11:05.members here were elected and it is strange to think about all the
:11:06. > :11:13.sessions that are being held here over the years. Some quite good
:11:14. > :11:22.times and others in quite difficult times. Such as today to be honest.
:11:23. > :11:30.This day was black enough already. It has become even darker with the
:11:31. > :11:34.overnight news from Manchester. There is a significant challenge for
:11:35. > :11:40.us as a nation in light of everything that is occurring in our
:11:41. > :11:47.world today. We are very proud to have this Assembly as a foundation
:11:48. > :11:52.or a basis to the way to how we can respond. I am very proud to be able
:11:53. > :12:11.to pay tribute to Rhodri Morgan's work.
:12:12. > :12:20.The Senedd is on its way to become a real parliament. It is safe to say
:12:21. > :12:23.that the Zhao are greatly due to the special contribution of Rhodri
:12:24. > :12:32.Morgan to secure the strengthening of the Senedd over the years. It is
:12:33. > :12:38.needed more than ever to defend Wales and to protect Wales today. We
:12:39. > :12:46.conceded Julie is here and I am pleased to be able to reach you as a
:12:47. > :12:52.friend, and as a college member of this Assembly. My sympathy lies with
:12:53. > :13:03.you and your family. I am aware that the family had present in the public
:13:04. > :13:08.gallery. -- are present. It is great to greet Professor Morgan. We have
:13:09. > :13:15.been friends in Swansea for over 30 years. He is a very close friend and
:13:16. > :13:26.a genius of Wales's history. The contribution of the Morgan family
:13:27. > :13:36.has been exceptional. And we have all of you in our prayers. Julie
:13:37. > :13:42.James. I just wanted to share the few short anecdotes from our family
:13:43. > :13:47.about Rhodri and Julie. One cherished story in our family is
:13:48. > :13:51.long before Rhodri had become a public figure. In our earlier
:13:52. > :13:57.relationship, Julie took Rhodri up to meet my grandparents in a little
:13:58. > :14:03.cottage on a hill above Swansea. My grandmother was very sociable but my
:14:04. > :14:08.grandfather, not so much and could be judgmental. He was very firm in
:14:09. > :14:12.his views and beliefs. My father called afterwards with a little
:14:13. > :14:17.trepidation to see how the visit had gone. He was astonished to find that
:14:18. > :14:23.my grandfather had said, he was all right. Yes, he is all right. And
:14:24. > :14:27.then on his way out of the House, my grandmother leaned forward and said,
:14:28. > :14:31.he passed very highly. I never asked Julie about that version of that
:14:32. > :14:40.story but it is cherished in my family. As time went on, Rhodri and
:14:41. > :14:43.Julie became very much more public figures but still always had the
:14:44. > :14:49.time to share with the family. And to come to family occasions and be
:14:50. > :14:56.hospitable in Cardiff Swansea. The entire family cherishes the spirited
:14:57. > :15:02.discussion that ranged from autism at the last lunch in the family and
:15:03. > :15:07.the labyrinth of the family connections of who was related to
:15:08. > :15:12.food, sleeping with whom, divorced with food. The entry gives details
:15:13. > :15:17.of Cardiff and Swansea local politics which he seemed to have a
:15:18. > :15:23.knowledge. -- the intrinsic all details. And even more astonishing,
:15:24. > :15:26.my father mentioning something that happened in Canada, a spirited
:15:27. > :15:32.discussion about Canadian politics and the relationship of Welsh mining
:15:33. > :15:36.and on... I am not telling you anything you did not know about
:15:37. > :15:40.Rhodri. He knew everything about everything. He had the time and
:15:41. > :15:44.energy to give to people and was duly alongside him, they were very
:15:45. > :15:48.keen to my family. When my father was ill be took the time and trouble
:15:49. > :15:55.to supporters. They will be sadly missed and I miss them dearly. My
:15:56. > :16:01.condolences. TRANSLATION: Thank you very much. I am pleased to pay my
:16:02. > :16:09.own tribute to Rhodri, the giant of our nation. He was a patriot, a
:16:10. > :16:14.democratic socialist who made a huge difference to this nation. He
:16:15. > :16:22.brought stability to this place. In a very troubled time. My own story
:16:23. > :16:27.goes back to the 1980s when I was extremely proud that our branch of
:16:28. > :16:35.the Labour Party was the first to nominate Rhodri to be a member of
:16:36. > :16:40.Parliament for Cardiff West. I will never forget that. And Rhodri never
:16:41. > :16:47.forgot that. The love that that community had for Rhodri was
:16:48. > :16:53.immense. He loved the working class. And they loved him back. He was
:16:54. > :16:56.authentic in everything. And that authenticity was something that came
:16:57. > :17:01.over very clearly. A little too often for some of us at times. We
:17:02. > :17:05.had to send him home to changes trousers that are too dirty and he
:17:06. > :17:06.had no shirt and tie and we had to send him back to smarten themselves
:17:07. > :17:30.up. And prayed in tribute to a Labour
:17:31. > :17:39.man to the core and made that persist. The giant of his people and
:17:40. > :17:49.a nation. Thank you very much for sharing Rhodri Morgan with all of
:17:50. > :17:57.us. Julie Morgan. Pelle-mac I want to speak very briefly to thank you
:17:58. > :18:02.for your tributes. They are deeply comforting. I know that the First
:18:03. > :18:07.Minister here was the pinnacle of Rhodri's career. He loved this
:18:08. > :18:12.place, this Parliament, this Assembly and he loved the House of
:18:13. > :18:24.Commons. He loved the cut and thrust of politics. I remember him arriving
:18:25. > :18:29.back early one morning from the House of Commons, when they were
:18:30. > :18:34.having long nights, and he enjoyed it enormously. It meant so much to
:18:35. > :18:40.him. The one thing I want to say about him is very important. He
:18:41. > :18:46.never looked back. He made his decisions and never regretted them.
:18:47. > :18:50.When he made these decisions, he never said to me, I wish I had done
:18:51. > :19:05.this and that, he just looked forward. He was so fulfilled. He
:19:06. > :19:10.loved the garden. He had the most wonderful crops and have them all
:19:11. > :19:16.prepared for Abbey, extended family who are here in the Chamber today,
:19:17. > :19:22.he would love to give them their vegetables when they arrived. He has
:19:23. > :19:27.an extra five new chicken so be very busy looking after them. He also did
:19:28. > :19:34.a lot of things. He is nearly finished with his book. He loved
:19:35. > :19:45.being the Chancellor of Swansea University. Every minute was
:19:46. > :19:55.enjoyment and he really always looked forward. He was immensely
:19:56. > :19:58.fulfilled. We have had a roller-coaster sort of life, with
:19:59. > :20:12.the politics being that way. It's been reset all the way. --
:20:13. > :20:21.rossettes. It's been a pleasure. Losing him has been a terrible loss
:20:22. > :20:26.of the family, and I haven't yet realised the full enormity, but it
:20:27. > :20:31.is very comforting to listen to what everybody has said today and the
:20:32. > :20:37.tributes from everybody here in the Chamber, and all idle Wales, that we
:20:38. > :20:42.have received, have been of huge comfort. -- and all over Wales. He
:20:43. > :20:43.had a wonderful life and he enjoyed every minute.
:20:44. > :21:12.APPLAUSE I am grateful to you all for your
:21:13. > :21:19.noteworthy and sincere contributions and I am particularly grateful to
:21:20. > :21:27.Julie and the family for sharing these tributes with us. We will
:21:28. > :21:37.never see the like of Rhodri Morgan in this Assembly again. You have
:21:38. > :21:42.talked of his wonderful qualities, and for those who have served since
:21:43. > :21:47.1999, we will never forget his courage and boldness in leading the
:21:48. > :21:57.Welsh Government. He ploughed his own furrow and believed what was
:21:58. > :22:03.best for this nation. During the summer, reports had reached the
:22:04. > :22:14.local Assembly member that the First Minister of Wales was on the beach,
:22:15. > :22:22.in his shorts, swimming with the dolphins, in his caravan, on his
:22:23. > :22:28.farm. He was given the peace and tranquillity to recharge his
:22:29. > :22:34.batteries and relax in the company of his family. His knowledge and
:22:35. > :22:45.memory were in men's. This is the man who and bailed -- and bailed
:22:46. > :22:55.Colin Jackson's portrait and then repeated his race times to the
:22:56. > :23:03.second. He also asked me how I was going to deal with an invasion of
:23:04. > :23:11.salmon - eating jellyfish, after reading about it in the News! He
:23:12. > :23:15.took an interest in us all. He led this country with passion and
:23:16. > :23:22.realism. He swam quietly with the dolphins. Let us remember Rhodri
:23:23. > :23:26.Morgan and stand in respect of all he has achieved for this nation and
:23:27. > :24:30.in sympathy with Julie, and the family.
:24:31. > :24:31.Thank you, Rhodri Morgan. And that concludes our