Ron Davies Biography Quotes 13 Report mistakes

Overview
Ron Davies (born 1946) is a Welsh politician best known as a principal architect of Welsh devolution in the late twentieth century. A long-serving Member of Parliament for Caerphilly and briefly Secretary of State for Wales in the first government of Tony Blair, he helped design and deliver the framework that led to the 1997 devolution referendum and the establishment of the National Assembly for Wales in 1999. His career combined strategic policy work with intense electoral politics, and it was marked by both notable achievements and high-profile setbacks.

Early life and education
Davies was born and raised in the south Wales valleys, in and around Caerphilly, an environment shaped by coal, tight-knit communities, and postwar social change. The culture of mutual support and a strong tradition of Labour politics in the region influenced his worldview. He trained as a teacher and worked in education before moving fully into public life, gaining experience that later informed his interest in community development, skills, and the practical delivery of public services.

Local government and rise in the Labour Party
Davies began his political journey in local government in the former county of Gwent. Those early years gave him detailed knowledge of Welsh public administration and the challenges facing local authorities in areas of industrial decline. He emerged as a committed devolutionist within the Labour Party, arguing that Welsh needs would be better served if more decisions were made in Wales. By the early 1980s he was seen as a capable organiser and persuasive advocate for constitutional change inside the party.

Member of Parliament for Caerphilly
Elected MP for Caerphilly in 1983, Davies held the seat until 2001. He built a reputation as a diligent constituency member and a persistent voice on Welsh matters at Westminster. In opposition he rose through Labour's ranks, becoming Shadow Secretary of State for Wales in 1992 under John Smith and then continuing under Tony Blair. During these years he confronted Conservative Welsh Secretaries such as John Redwood and William Hague over issues ranging from economic development to the principle of devolution, sharpening the arguments he would later carry into government.

Architect of Welsh devolution
Davies's most consequential work was on devolution. He forged alliances across Labour and beyond, cooperating with figures in Plaid Cymru such as Dafydd Wigley and with the Welsh Liberal Democrats under Richard Livsey to build a broad coalition for change. He also worked with campaigners and policy thinkers, among them Leighton Andrews, to create the strategy and messaging that culminated in the "Yes for Wales" campaign in 1997. The referendum passed by a razor-thin margin, reflecting both the caution and the yearning for a new political settlement in Wales. Davies often encapsulated his approach with the phrase "devolution is a process, not an event", expressing his belief that constitutional reform should evolve in response to Welsh needs.

Secretary of State for Wales
After Labour's 1997 landslide, Tony Blair appointed Davies Secretary of State for Wales. In office he oversaw the legislation that became the Government of Wales Act 1998, laying the legal foundations for the National Assembly for Wales. Working with colleagues including Paul Murphy and later Peter Hain, he steered the policy detail and managed sensitive relationships across Whitehall to ensure Welsh administrative functions could be transferred smoothly. His role was frequently compared to that of Donald Dewar in Scotland, both men seen as midwives of their nations' new institutions.

Resignation and immediate aftermath
In October 1998 Davies resigned from the Cabinet following a personal incident in London, a decision he attributed to a "moment of madness". The episode ended his tenure at the Wales Office and interrupted his trajectory toward leading the new devolved government. In the reshuffle that followed, Alun Michael succeeded to key responsibilities and subsequently became the first leader of the Assembly's executive, before being followed by Rhodri Morgan. Davies returned to the backbenches at Westminster, remaining an MP for Caerphilly until standing down in 2001, when Wayne David succeeded him.

The National Assembly and later politics
Despite resigning from the Cabinet, Davies was elected in 1999 to the newly created National Assembly for Wales as the member for Caerphilly, serving during its formative first term. He contributed to committee work and policy debates that began translating the devolution settlement into day-to-day governance. Subsequent personal controversies led him to withdraw as Labour's candidate ahead of the 2003 election, closing that initial chapter of his devolved career. He later left the Labour Party and, in the 2010s, became active with Plaid Cymru and returned to frontline public service at the local level in Caerphilly, continuing to advocate for grassroots regeneration and a maturing devolution settlement.

Ideas, style, and relationships
Davies's political style combined pragmatic negotiation with a clear constitutional vision. He cultivated working relationships across party lines when devolution required it, engaging constructively with Plaid Cymru and the Liberal Democrats while managing internal Labour debates involving figures such as Rhodri Morgan and Alun Michael. His dealings with Tony Blair balanced the prime minister's emphasis on modernisation with the specific needs of Wales. In opposition and government he also sparred with Conservatives including John Redwood and William Hague, whose skepticism about devolution forced Davies to refine and publicly test his arguments. Within Wales he remained attentive to civil society voices, from local government leaders to trade unionists, who helped shape the practical focus of early Welsh self-government.

Legacy
Ron Davies's legacy rests above all on the creation of Welsh democratic institutions. The 1997 referendum and the Government of Wales Act 1998 transformed Welsh public life, giving successive Welsh governments a platform to develop distinct policies in health, education, and economic development. Although his ministerial career ended abruptly, the institutional architecture he championed endured and evolved, with further powers accruing to Wales over time. For many, he stands as the pivotal figure who took devolution from aspiration to reality, translating decades of debate into a functioning Assembly and a lasting shift in how Wales is governed.

Our collection contains 13 quotes who is written by Ron, under the main topics: Leadership - Freedom - Honesty & Integrity - Human Rights - Vision & Strategy.