Sweet celebration: Rhodri Morgan marks his eight years in office

Mr Morgan, who is celebrating eight years as leader of the Welsh Assembly Government, had already announced he would give up the job next year.

But he has now put a more precise date on his departure, although he said that might change depending on the timing of the next Westminster general election.

He will continue to be an AM until the next assembly election in May 2011.

Mr Morgan, 68, had a heart scare during protracted negotiations after the last assembly election.

He underwent the surgery to open two partially-blocked arteries in July 2007, shortly after he and Plaid Cymru leader Ieuan Wyn Jones agreed their coalition government.

A former civil servant educated at Harvard and Oxford, Mr Morgan took the job of first minister in February 2000 following a remarkable chain of events.

Following the devolution referendum, Mr Morgan challenged the then Welsh Secretary Ron Davies for the right to lead Labour in the first assembly elections.

He was beaten by Mr Davies, the man regarded as the architect of devolution.

However, following Mr Davies's "moment of madness" on Clapham Common and subsequent resignation, Mr Morgan stood again for the Welsh Labour leadership.

He was again beaten, this time by Alun Michael, who had succeeded Mr Davies as Welsh secretary.

But under Mr Michael's leadership, Labour failed to secure a majority in the 1999 assembly election. He stepped down after eight months in charge before facing a vote of confidence.

That left Mr Morgan to take the top job in Wales unopposed.