Yn gyntaf oll, Julie, mae mor nodweddiadol ohonoch chi a Rhodri eich bod gyda ni yn eich lle heddiw. Ac rydym yn diolch i chi am fod yma, gan ei fod yn ein galluogi i’ch cyfarch yn gynnes, fel yr wyf yn ei wneud ar sail fy nghyfeillgarwch hirhoedlog i fy hun a Mair gyda chi a'r teulu, sy’n mynd yn ôl cymaint o flynyddoedd.

I first worked with Rhodri Morgan when he was elected to the House of Commons as Member of Parliament for Cardiff West in 1987. But he had vast experience before becoming a Member of Parliament. It’s important that we mention his intellect, and the scholarly nature of the family—as we’ve already heard reference to. Because I’ve been a friend of his brother, Prys, and fondly remember his father, because he stood head and shoulders above the scholars of Welsh literature in the 1960s, to one, like me, who was a student, because he was a far more engaging lecturer than the rest of them. That talent was certainly passed to Rhodri.

Rhodri was himself a scholar, graduating from Oxford and Harvard, having being a researcher in local and central government, and an economic adviser to the Department of Trade and Industry, a development officer for South Glamorgan and, as we’ve heard, head of the European Community office. I recall him coming to the Commons, and I was surprised by his ability to secure promotion so swiftly. Of course, I had been a backbencher, and an inadequate leader of a slightly smaller party. But, as we remember, in Westminster, he was the official opposition spokesperson on the environment, on energy, and, of course, on Welsh affairs. That is when the foundations of devolution were laid for 1997.

His final act in Westminster perhaps was to become Chair of the House of Commons Public Administration Committee. It’s important that I mention Rhodri’s contribution as a parliamentarian within the UK. This man wasn’t some kind of maverick. He was a talented parliamentarian, who could use all the skills of Parliament to confuse the Government. And I well recall the almost military requirement upon us to oppose the Cardiff Bay barrage. Rhodri, of course, was behind all of that.

And then, when he came here—well, I could keep you here all day. You all know of the wonderful 10-year-long relationship that I had with Rhodri as first Presiding Officer, and he, of course, was the first First Minister. Because he was the man who created that post for himself. That incident was one I may remind you of before concluding this afternoon. It was around one o’clock in the afternoon, and, at that time, I think the Assembly would gather at half past two, in the old Chamber. The message had been issued that Rhodri Morgan wished to change his title. Of course, he informed the then Presiding Officer, and said that the title was to be ‘First Minister’ in English.

But then we got to the nitty-gritty. What was the correct Welsh translation of ‘First Minister’? Because some translator, who shall remain nameless, who doesn’t work at this place any longer, had translated ‘First Minister’ as ‘Gweinidog Cyntaf’. Of course, very rarely in one’s life does one feel that he has authority on any issue, but I knew that ‘Gweinidog Cyntaf’ was the first minister that came to chapel, and then there was another and another one following that. I tried to explain:

Mae gennym ddwy ffordd o ddweud y pethau hyn yn Gymraeg. Ceir blaenoriaeth mewn enw, a cheir blaenoriaeth wirioneddol. Felly, dim ond un cyfieithiad sydd o hyn.

‘First Minister’ in Welsh is ‘Prif Weinidog Cymru’. That was a quarter of an hour before the Assembly started. The message came back that the First Minister gladly accepted that he will be described as ‘First Minister’ in English and ‘Prif Weinidog Cymru’ in Welsh. I was the first person in the universe to use the words ‘Prif Weinidog Cymru’. I remember saying it slightly sotto voce so nobody got too excited. But there’s always one, and Rhodri Glyn got up on a point of order, asking the Presiding Officer what this new title was, and was he truly ‘Prif Weinidog Cymru’. Well, Rhodri Morgan became the real First Minister, or ‘Prif Weinidog Cymru’, and I had 10 years of great enjoyment. We never fell out—not that I’m suggesting that Presiding Officers and First Ministers should fall out, but it had happened before and it could happen elsewhere. But Rhodri understood the constitution through his great intellect. It was in his bones. He understood the principles of the separation between Government and Assembly and the need to scrutinise Government by being independent, and the ability for the Government to take criticism. That was all there, because it was in his own experience as a parliamentarian in Westminster.

We could then proceed to build what we have built. He wasn’t in favour of this building, of course; he wanted an extension at the back of Tŷ Hywel, but he didn’t get his way in that regard. However, he was the first to say, once this building was built, that he took great pride in it. I am delighted that we are to celebrate his passing from this place, appropriately, in this building next week. It’s the building of the people of Wales, but Rhodri Morgan built the politics that made it possible.