Good morning, and it is a very good morning in Wales Ron Davies, 19/09/97

The "Yes" camp may have only scraped through by a narrow margin.

But the 6,721 votes that delivered success, guaranteed the "architect of devolution", a place in history.

On that night in September 1997, few doubted that Davies, then-Secretary of State for Wales, would claim his crown, as First Minister of the new National Assembly for Wales.

'Moment of madness'

He successfully steered the Government of Wales Act through Parliament but, by October 1998, he was facing ignominy and disgrace.

MEDIA GALLERY Ron Davies' colourful career "I have tendered my resignation" (01/11/98) "My adult life has been pored over" (02/11/98) "We are what we are" (02/11/98) "I didn't stop until London" (04/03/03) "I stopped for the lavatory (05/03/03) "Approached by two men" (05/03/03)

In what he later termed a "moment of madness", he picked up a complete stranger on Clapham Common in London.

He agreed to have dinner with the stranger and two of his friends and then ended up on a housing estate, robbed of his car, wallet and telephone.

It cost him his job as Welsh Secretary and, within days, he was also forced to quit as leader of the Wales Labour Party.

His dream of taking the job of first minister lay in tatters.

Local councillor

However, he remained the assembly candidate for Caerphilly and was duly elected to represent the constituency and began to rebuild his credibility.

Davies was all set to become Wales' first secretary

Mr Davies had a long history in the Labour Party, joining in 1965 and acting as a local councillor for 15 years.

He was born in Machen, near Newport - where he still lives - and was educated at Bassaleg Grammar, Portsmouth Polytechnic, the University College of Wales, Cardiff and London University.

He became MP for Caerphilly in 1983 and served until 2001 when he stepped down to concentrate on assembly politics.

When Labour came to power in 1997, he had spent five years as the party's spokesman on Wales.

Rumours

But, despite his political commitment after the Clapham Common incident, persistent rumours about his private life continued to dog him.

I am left with no alternative but to confirm that I am, and have been for some time, bisexual Ron Davies, June 1999

By June 1999, he was in the headlines again, after a tabloid newspaper carried a double-page spread, making allegations about his sexual behaviour near his home in Draethen.

The reports alleged that he had cruised for gay sex and led him to issue a public statement admitting that he was bisexual.

"I am left with no alternative but to confirm that I am, and have been for some time, bisexual, " Mr Davies confirmed.

Reconstruction

Over the last year, it seemed Mr Davies had turned the corner and was rebuilding his life and career.

Davies 'raised the tenor of Welsh political life'

After divorcing his second wife Christine, he married his third wife, Lynne Hughes, 36, last August, - and the couple had a baby on Valentine's Day 2003.

But the latest incident near Bath and Mr Davies' handling of the allegations inevitably raised further questions.

Political commentator Patrick Hannan said Mr Davies' response demonstrated shown a "basic character defect."

He said: "It's a bit like a child, whose first instinct is to say: 'I didn't do it. I wasn't there.' And who worries about the consequences later.

"That seems to be the basic character defect he has in this. Now many people have that - but, in a politician, it comes back to bite you. "

Contribution

However, allies of Mr Davies believe he will be remembered in a positive light.

Professor Kevin Morgan of Cardiff University, who worked with Mr Davies to secure devolution, paid tribute to his political contribution.

"Some people will remember him for Clapham Common," he said.

"But my own view and the view of many people in Wales, will be that Ron Davies made a superb contribution to the quality of Welsh life and raised the tenor of Welsh political debate."