Rhodri Morgan facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Rhodri Morgan
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Official portrait, c. 2001
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| First Minister of Wales | |
| In office 9 February 2000 – 10 December 2009 Acting: 9 February 2000 – 15 February 2000 |
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| Monarch | Elizabeth II |
| Deputy | Michael German Jenny Randerson (Acting) Ieuan Wyn Jones |
| Preceded by | Alun Michael |
| Succeeded by | Carwyn Jones |
| Leader of Welsh Labour | |
| In office 9 February 2000 – 1 December 2009 |
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| UK party leader | Tony Blair Gordon Brown |
| Preceded by | Alun Michael |
| Succeeded by | Carwyn Jones |
| Member of the Welsh Assembly for Cardiff West |
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| In office 6 May 1999 – 5 May 2011 |
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| Preceded by | Constituency established |
| Succeeded by | Mark Drakeford |
| Member of Parliament for Cardiff West |
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| In office 11 June 1987 – 14 May 2001 |
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| Preceded by | Stefan Terlezki |
| Succeeded by | Kevin Brennan |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
Hywel Rhodri Morgan
29 September 1939 Roath, Cardiff, Wales |
| Died | 17 May 2017 (aged 77) Wenvoe, Wales |
| Political party | Welsh Labour |
| Spouse |
Julie Edwards
(m. 1967) |
| Children | 3 |
| Parents | T. J. Morgan Huana Rees |
| Relatives | Prys Morgan (brother) Garel Rhys (second cousin) |
| Alma mater | St John's College, Oxford Harvard University |
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Hywel Rhodri Morgan (born 29 September 1939 – died 17 May 2017) was a Welsh politician. He was a member of the Welsh Labour party. From 2000 to 2009, he was the First Minister of Wales. He also led the Welsh Labour party during that time.
Rhodri Morgan was a Member of the Senedd (the Welsh Parliament) for Cardiff West. He held this role from 1999 to 2011. Before that, he was a Member of Parliament (MP) for Cardiff West. He served as an MP from 1987 to 2001. He was the longest-serving First Minister of Wales. From 2011 until his death, he was the Chancellor of Swansea University.
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Early Life and Education
Rhodri Morgan was born in Roath, Cardiff, on 29 September 1939. He was the younger of two children. His father, Thomas John Morgan, was a Welsh writer and academic. His mother, Huana Morgan, was also a writer and a schoolteacher. His parents met at a Welsh festival called the National Eisteddfod of Wales in 1926. They got married in 1935. Rhodri's older brother, Prys Morgan, was born in 1937.
Rhodri went to Whitchurch Grammar School in Whitchurch, Cardiff. After school, he studied at St John's College, Oxford, and earned a degree in 1961. He then went to Harvard University in the United States. There, he earned a Master of Arts degree in Government in 1963.
Political Career
Starting in Politics
Before becoming a politician, Rhodri Morgan worked in different government roles. From 1965 to 1971, he was a research officer. He also advised the Department of Trade and Industry on economic matters from 1972 to 1974. Later, he worked for South Glamorgan County Council. From 1980 to 1987, he was in charge of the European Community's office in Wales.
Serving in Westminster
In 1987, Rhodri Morgan was elected as a Member of Parliament (MP) for Cardiff West. An MP is a person elected to represent a group of people in the UK Parliament. From 1988 to 1994, he was a spokesperson for the Labour Party on environmental issues. He also led a special committee in the House of Commons. He stopped being an MP in 2001.
Leading the Welsh Assembly
First Assembly (1999)
Rhodri Morgan strongly supported devolution for Wales. Devolution means giving more power to local governments, like the Welsh Assembly, instead of keeping all power in the UK Parliament in London. He wanted to be the leader of the Welsh Labour Party in the new Welsh Assembly. He lost the first time to Alun Michael.
However, Alun Michael resigned a little over a year later. Rhodri Morgan then became the new leader of Welsh Labour. In February 2000, he was elected as the First Secretary for Wales. This job title later changed to First Minister on 16 October 2000.
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Premiership of Rhodri Morgan
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| 9 February 2000 – 10 December 2009 | |
| Premier | Rhodri Morgan |
| Cabinet | Interim government 1st government 2nd government 3rd government 4th government |
| Party | Welsh Labour Party |
| Election | 2003, 2007 |
| Appointer | Elizabeth II |
| Seat | Tŷ Hywel |
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← Alun Michael • Carwyn Jones →
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As First Minister, Rhodri Morgan often made different choices for Wales than the UK Labour Party did for England. He believed that policies should fit Welsh attitudes and values. He called this idea "Clear Red Water". This meant there was a clear difference between policies in Wales and those made in London.
Second Assembly (2003)
On 1 May 2003, Labour, led by Rhodri Morgan, won the Assembly elections again. They won enough seats to form a government on their own. He announced his new team of ministers on 9 May. In this election, Labour won back many areas they had lost in 1999.
During his second term, Morgan continued to focus on "Welsh solutions for Welsh problems." This meant finding ways to solve issues that were best for Wales. He believed in working together between public services, rather than having them compete.
Third Assembly (2007)
In the 2007 Assembly election, Labour was the largest party. They won 26 out of 60 seats, but not enough to win outright. After a month of leading a minority government, Morgan made an agreement. On 27 June 2007, he formed a coalition government with Ieuan Wyn Jones, the leader of Plaid Cymru. This agreement was called One Wales.
With this new government, Rhodri Morgan became the first modern leader in Wales to lead an Assembly that could pass its own laws. These laws still needed approval from the UK Parliament.
Retirement
In July 2005, Rhodri Morgan said he would lead the Welsh Labour party into the 2007 election. However, he planned to retire as leader and First Minister around 2009, when he would turn 70. On his 70th birthday, he set the exact date for his retirement as 8 December 2009.
Three politicians competed to become the new Labour leader in Wales. On 1 December 2009, Carwyn Jones was announced as the winner. He took over as First Minister on 10 December 2009. Rhodri Morgan remained a Member of the Senedd until April 2011.
Personal Life
In 1967, Rhodri Morgan married Julie Morgan (whose maiden name was Edwards). Julie later became a Labour MP for Cardiff North. They had one son and two daughters. The couple were supporters of the British Humanist Association.
In July 2007, Rhodri Morgan had heart surgery. He recovered well within a few weeks.
Death
Rhodri Morgan passed away on 17 May 2017. He was 77 years old. He collapsed while cycling near his home in Wenvoe, Wales. Police and paramedics were called, but he was pronounced dead at the scene.
His family held a humanist funeral for him at the Welsh Assembly on 31 May. It was open to the public and broadcast live. A private service was held the next day at Thornhill Crematorium in Cardiff.
Honorary Degrees
Rhodri Morgan received several special awards called honorary degrees. These awards recognized his important work and service. He was also appointed Chancellor of Swansea University in 2011. He held this position until his death. Both his parents had studied at Swansea University, and his father and brother had taught there.
See Also
In Spanish: Rhodri Morgan para niños
