When Wales went to the polls on the question of devolution on St David’s Day 1979 the result was an overwhelming ‘No’ to a Welsh Assembly.

After 18 years of Conservative rule, Labour was returned to power and devolution was back on the agenda. On September 18th 1997 another referendum was held.

The result –after a dramatic night where defeat seemed likely once again – was a very slender majority of 6,721 votes in favour. It represented a remarkable shift of voter opinion for which Ron Davies can take much of the credit.

As Welsh Secretary he healed many of the divisions within Labour which had so damaged the cause of devolution in the ‘seventies. The Government of Wales Act he steered through provided for the powers of the London-appointed Secretary of State for Wales to be transferred to a directly elected National Assembly in Cardiff.

While stopping short of giving the new body tax-raising and law-making powers, it was enough to build a coalition in favour of devolution that encompassed Plaid Cymru, the Liberal Democrats and all but a handful of Labour doubters.

Ron Davies’s political career began as a youthful councillor in Caerphilly during the late 1960’s. He became the local MP in 1983 and Shadow Welsh Secretary in 1992.

After his referendum victory, he was set to leave Westminster to become First Minister in Cardiff. But at Clapham Common one autumn night in 1998 he succumbed to what he described as a “moment of madness”. The episode forced his resignation from the cabinet.

While the voters of Caerphilly kept faith with Ron Davies, his hopes of returning to office ended in 2003. Having denied further tabloid allegations about his personal life, he was forced to admit lying to defend his already damaged reputation.

He stood down from the Assembly he had done so much to create- his career and credibility in tatters.