Waiting lists 'still toughest nut to crack'

Speaking to the Argus on his fourth anniversary as First Minister, Mr Mor-gan said his mission has been to bring stability to the fledgling devolved institutions.

Mr Morgan said his achievements included the following:

* After a very turbulent start to devolution the institutions have stabilised and public respect is slowly being won round.

* Unemployment in Wales is approaching zero for the first time in 29 years.

* The Assembly is the most open government in the western world with regular open-mike sessions where the public can directly scrutinise ministers.

* Won a majority and therefore able to form a Labour administration at the last election.

* Introducing free school breakfasts and free swimming for primary school children.

* Introducing free swimming and free bus travel for the over 60s.

After governing in coalition with the Liberal Democrats, Labour won a small majority at the last Assembly elections.

The 64-year-old revealed that a recent health check had given him the all clear and that he had no plans to retire.

In his four years at the top Mr Morgan said he was most proud of the fact that unemployment in Wales was approaching zero.

However, he confessed that NHS waiting lists had been the hardest problem.

He said: "It is obvious that the problems with the health service have been a harder nut to crack than we anticipated.

"With an ageing population and a far greater number of accident and emergency admissions than in England, bringing them down is a real challenge. Things are improving but it will take time.

"In the next four years we need to train our workforce to cope with full employment. We need to tackle the skills shortage and ensure our higher education institutions are properly funded after the next Assembly elections.

"We still have a long way to go to win the hearts and minds of the people but I think that they recognise that this is a new more open way of governing Wales."