By John Stevenson Political reporter

Rhodri Morgan is fighting his last election as Welsh Labour leader

Rhodri Morgan himself has denied that he has coined anything which resembles a distinctive political ideology.

But he would say he has created a distinctive set of policies for Wales, most certainly.

These include free bus passes, free swimming for some, and free prescriptions as well

He says that he has put clear red water between himself and Tony Blair by developing a distinctive Welsh Labour policy agenda.

Late last year, Rhodri Morgan said New Labour had been the "most successful electoral project in the history of the party," but he suggested it was a "product of its own time, 1994 to 2007, and its own circumstances".

RHODRI MORGAN Born: 1939 Elected: Cardiff West MP, 1987 - 2001, Cardiff West AM since 1999; first minister since 2000 Quote: "Does a one-legged duck swim in circles?" (when asked if he would run for the Welsh Labour leadership)

"Time moves on, and circumstances change," he said.

Mr Morgan's speech, entitled 21st Century socialism, was certainly seen then as an attempt to distance him and the Labour Party in Wales from Tony Blair's deepening unpopularity.

Unorthodox style

But ahead of the 2003 assembly election, he made a similar break with the UK party with a speech contrasting Welsh Labour to New Labour's market-driven reforms of health and education.

Elections focus minds, however, and Mr Blair himself was at great pains to urge voters on May 3 to back the man who he himself had tried to stop from becoming Welsh Labour leader.

Mr Morgan may be regularly accused of being a "foot-in-mouth politician", how often have his colleagues shrugged it off with the comment "that's Rhodri"?

His opponents will not let him forget his speculation that it would not be "entirely unhelpful" if climate change gave Wales a Spanish-style climate, and he has been accused of being late for engagements with the Queen.

But his unorthodox style propelled him to the top in 2000 after first Ron Davies and then Alun Michael were forced out as Welsh Labour leaders.

It must have been all the sweeter for him because after Labour's 1997 landslide after he was unceremoniously dumped by Tony Blair from his post as a junior spokesperson on Welsh affairs.

The next job as chair of the Commons public administration committee was hardly adequate consolation, even though he presided over one mammoth inquiry into the working's of Labour's proposed Freedom of Information Bill.

His rugby-loving man-of-the-people style has served him well, even if he is the Oxford and Harvard-educated son of a professor of Welsh.

He says he will step down as first minister in 2009. Voters on 3 May will decide if he gets the chance to make it that far.