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| Version 2 | Version 3 |
|---|---|
| Labour assembly minister sacked | Labour assembly minister sacked |
| (10 minutes later) | |
| Deputy Economy and Transport Minister Huw Lewis has lost his Welsh Assembly Government job, he has revealed. | |
| The Merthyr AM said he seemed to be the only minister to be moved aside for the new Labour-Plaid Cymru coalition. | The Merthyr AM said he seemed to be the only minister to be moved aside for the new Labour-Plaid Cymru coalition. |
| He spoke before any official news of talks between First Minister Rhodri Morgan and Plaid leader Ieuan Wyn Jones on the shape of the new government. | |
| Mr Lewis said he had privately opposed the coalition, but he was "disappointed and not a little surprised". | |
| There has been no official announcement from the assembly government yet about the reshuffle, and none is expected until Thursday. | There has been no official announcement from the assembly government yet about the reshuffle, and none is expected until Thursday. |
| I can only conclude that sincerely held views, privately expressed and shared by a large section of our party, are reason enough to be replaced in government Huw Lewis AM | |
| There are seven Labour cabinet ministers - including Mr Morgan - and Mr Lewis was one of five deputy Labour ministers. | There are seven Labour cabinet ministers - including Mr Morgan - and Mr Lewis was one of five deputy Labour ministers. |
| There is speculation that Plaid will have at least three ministerial posts. | There is speculation that Plaid will have at least three ministerial posts. |
| The Merthyr AM, aged 43, was assistant general secretary of the Welsh Labour Party before he was elected to the assembly in 1999. | The Merthyr AM, aged 43, was assistant general secretary of the Welsh Labour Party before he was elected to the assembly in 1999. |
| In a statement, he said he was "disappointed and not a little surprised". | |
| "Throughout recent weeks I have maintained my loyalty to both the Welsh Labour Party and to the Welsh Assembly Government, although at times it would have been easier to speak out. | |
| 'Relish' | |
| Rhodri Morgan and Ieuan Wyn Jones have been in talks"Any objections I had to a deal with Plaid Cymru as a preferred option of Government were sincerely held and voiced only in the privacy of Labour group meetings. | |
| "I made clear my enthusiasm for the job in charge of regeneration inside Government and would have been happy to continue in that post. | |
| "Like all Labour members I accepted the democratic decision of our special conference and was happy to move forward." | |
| "I am confident that nothing I have done inside the deputy minister post could have led to today's decision, indeed I took to the job with some relish. | |
| "I can only conclude that sincerely held views, privately expressed and shared by a large section of our party, are reason enough to be replaced in government." | |
| He has previously been deputy minister for social justice with special responsibility for communities. | He has previously been deputy minister for social justice with special responsibility for communities. |
| He is married to Lynne Neagle, the AM for nearby Torfaen. Although Mr Lewis had not voiced public opposition to the coalition, Ms Neagle was the first Labour AM to break ranks and speak out before the deal was struck and she was followed by three others. |