Welsh Labour backs Plaid coalition

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A special Welsh Labour conference backed the First Minister's One Wales agreement with Plaid, despite opposition from some influential Labour figures.

Most Welsh Labour MPs and former leader Neil Kinnock were not in favour of the deal with their nationalist rivals. Losing the vote could have cost Mr Morgan his career. He plans to stand down in 2009.

After the three-hour meeting, held in private in Cardiff, he said delegates had delivered an "emphatic" vote in favour. More than 95% of trade unions and affiliated organisations backed the coalition. Among party groups, which held the other half of the votes, 61% were in favour.

Mr Morgan said: "I'm very pleased both wings of the party have voted in the same direction. That's something you don't always see. This gives us a very good indication that the party will unite behind this overwhelming vote."

The coalition agreement paves the way to a referendum on giving the Assembly full law-making powers. Mr Morgan said that would only happen after "testing the waters of Welsh public opinion".

Welsh Secretary Peter Hain said: "This is not a vote for nationalism. This is not a vote for independence. It's a vote to keep Welsh Labour at the heart of government."

Asked if the result was the one he wanted, he said: "I wanted the outcome that the conference voted for. That is to say, whatever the conference voted is something I would respect as Secretary of State for Wales."

Labour narrowly regained power in the Assembly after May's inconclusive election. An alliance between Plaid, the Tories and Liberal Democrats threatened to topple Mr Morgan's minority administration but could not form a government in time.

Plaid AMs turned their back on the chance of leading the so-called rainbow coalition to work with Mr Morgan. Plaid leader Ieuan Wyn Jones will ask his party's national council to ratify the One Wales document on Saturday.