By Adrian Browne Political reporter

Rhodri Morgan and Ieuan Wyn Jones explaining the deal

But we can now finally say with certainty that a majority Welsh Assembly Government is to be formed.

After a "brief moment of rejoicing", to quote Winston Churchill, who also led a coalition government, Rhodri Morgan and Ieuan Wyn Jones can plan how to govern.

Until now, Mr Morgan and Mr Jones - who will become his deputy - could shake but not sign on the dotted line.

Now that their two party conferences have endorsed the deal, the leaders of Welsh Labour and Plaid Cymru can put their signatures to it and agree a coalition cabinet.

With sensible foresight, Mr Morgan had already reduced the number of ministers he appointed when running the show as a minority administration.

That has left seats free round the cabinet table for Plaid Cymru AMs without ruffling more Labour feathers than strictly necessary.

As leader of his party, Mr Jones will become deputy first minister - as Mike German did when Labour previously struck a coalition deal with the Liberal Democrats in 2000.

All will become clear in the next couple of days, but trying to predict which Plaid colleagues will join him at the top table becomes highly speculative.

This is because it depends which posts Labour offers its new political partner.

That said, the deputy Plaid assembly group leader Rhodri Glyn Thomas must be in with a shout.

LONG WINDING ROAD TO POWER 3 May: Labour wins 26 out of 60 seats, Plaid 15, Tories 12, Lib Dems 6, independent 1 8 May: Rhodri Morgan says talks with Plaid and the Lib Dems are choice between "inedible and the unpalatable" 17 May: Lib Dems suspend talks with Labour to pursue a "rainbow coalition" with Plaid and Tories 23 May: Senior Lib Dem split seems to pull the plug on three-party deal, but Tories back alliance 25 May: Mr Morgan re-nominated First Minister 26 May: Lib Dem conference endorses deal with Plaid and Tories 12 June: Ieuan Wyn Jones resumes talks with Labour to ensure "we have considered all the options" 26 June: Labour AMs and executive back "One Wales" deal with Plaid 27 June: Plaid AMs back Labour deal; three days later, so does Plaid executive 6/7 July: Labour and Plaid conferences support deal

There was a suggestion he would have a senior post had Plaid chosen the so- called "rainbow option" of combining with the Conservatives and Lib Dems rather than Labour.

Seven months before the assembly election, Mr Thomas told BBC Wales' Dragon's Eye programme that a Labour-Plaid marriage was a future possibility - talk regarded back then by many as pure fantasy.

Now, Mr Thomas appears to be in a good position to work with Labour ministers.

Plaid's chief whip Jocelyn Davies is another possibility for a cabinet seat.

She played a key role in negotiations leading up to the deal and established a level of trust which might be helpful during the sensitive early months of the new administration.

The sight of Plaid's first cabinet members will be an obvious sign of how Welsh politics has changed.

There has also been a marked shift in the balance of power in the Welsh Labour Party from Westminster to Cardiff Bay.

Lick their wounds

Labour AMs' decision to support a coalition with Plaid to avoid being ousted from power prevailed, despite opposition from Welsh MPs.

The MPs should forgive the phrase, but while the parliamentary "turkeys" might not have voted for Christmas, Labour AMs have successfully basted them.

It means the MPs have been shifted nearer the hot oven, and are facing a referendum on full law-making powers in Cardiff Bay within four years.

A yes vote in a referendum would make a fall in the number of Welsh MPs more likely, as their responsibilities would be further reduced.

Despite inevitable opposition from some party members and supporters, Plaid expect to acquire increased credibility by entering government and will aim to build on this over the next four years.

The Conservatives become the official opposition in Cardiff Bay, and will seek to replace Plaid as the alternative to Labour.

But the Liberal Democrats find themselves pushed to the margins, largely as a result of their own actions.

Senior Lib Dems had decided to pull the plug on talks with first Labour and then Plaid and the Tories at crucial moments.