The unstable nature of the then minority government was of concern and was always viewed as temporary and Labour had mooted looking for a coalition partner following their persevered poor showing in the 1999 election.

[5] Developments quickly occurred during the autumn of 2000 culminating in Tom Middlehurst resigning as Secretary for post-16 education on 9 October claiming he could not “contemplate sitting down at the Cabinet table with the Liberal Democrats”.

[6] The six Liberal Democrat seats was an attractive offer to Labour and following a special conference by both parties a coalition was agreed upon.

A new coalition government (officially referred to as the Coalition Partnership) was officially announced on 5 October 2000 with policy details emerging the day later.

Minister for Economic Development Changes: Deputy Ministers prior to the enactment of the Government of Wales Act 2006 (enactment and legal separation takes place on appointment of the First Minister, post-May 2007) are not officially part of the Government, and not in Cabinet.