In December 1999, Wigley temporarily delegated his responsibilities to Ieuan Wyn Jones due to ill health, who became acting leader of the opposition and Plaid Cymru. He resumed his responsibilities in February 2000 but later announced his resignation in May 2000 to focus on his health. In August 2000, Jones was elected to succeed him as Plaid Cymru's leader, becoming the new Leader of the Opposition and forming a new shadow cabinet.
At the election in May 1999, Plaid Cymru made gains against Labour, which had traditionally dominated Welsh politics, winning 17 seats and causing Labour to unexpectedly fall short of an overall majority.[5][6] Labour became the largest party in the assembly with 28 assembly members (AMs) and formed a minority administration with its leader Alun Michael elected as the inaugural First Secretary of Wales at the first plenary session of the National Assembly on 12 May.[7][8] Michael announced his cabinet at the same session, appointing nine Labour AMs to serve as ministers, officially known as assembly secretaries, in the devolved government of Wales.[9][8]
As the second largest party in the assembly with 17 AMs, Plaid Cymru formed the official opposition to the Labour administration,[10][11][6] enabling it to act as a government-in-waiting in accordance with the Westminster system of government traditionally practiced across the United Kingdom.[12][13] Wigley was elected as AM for Caernarfon and became the first Leader of the Opposition of Wales as the leader of Plaid Cymru in the assembly.[14][15] As the official opposition in the assembly, Plaid Cymru was expected to scrutinise the policies and governance of the devolved administration, propose alternative policies and lead assembly debates. To fulfill these duties, Wigley was expected to form and lead a shadow cabinet made up of shadow ministers who would mirror the roles of devolved ministers in the Welsh Cabinet and lead the party in scrutinising the Labour administration and its ministers.[16][17] The two other opposition parties, the Conservatives and Liberal Democrats, announced their frontbench teams on 13 May 1999.[18][17] Wigley said he would announce his shadow cabinet on 18 May, at the second plenary session of the National Assembly.[18][17] He did not personally appoint the members of the shadow cabinet like other party leaders; members were instead elected to their positions by Plaid Cymru's seventeen AMs.[18]
In December 1999, Wigley had to undergo a minor heart surgery operation due to a heart condition[23] and ill health.[24][14] In response, he introduced a new deputy leadership role, although an officeholder was never appointed to actually fill the position.[25][26] He temporarily resigned from his duties while he recovered, delegating his responsibilities to Ieuan Wyn Jones, who was elected unopposed by the Plaid Cymru assembly group to serve as the acting leader of the party during his absence.[27][24][14] Wigley returned to his duties in February 2000 after being granted permission to return to work from his doctors, leading his party into the premiership of Labour's Rhodri Morgan.[28][29] In May 2000, Wigley announced his decision to resign as President of Plaid Cymru after recovering slower than he had expected and being told to reduce his workload by medical advisers.[20][23] Jones was elected to succeed him in a leadership election held in August, becoming the new Leader of the Opposition and forming a new shadow cabinet.[30] Jones offered Wigley a place in the new shadow cabinet, but Wigley refused so he could continue to focus on his recovering health.[20][31]
^ abWigley delegated his responsibilities to Ieuan Wyn Jones from December 1999 to February 2000 due to ill health.
^Jones also temporarily served in Wigley's portfolios from December 1999 to February 2000 in an acting capacity while Wigley withdrew from his duties due to ill health.
^"Devolution: Wales"(PDF). Monitor: The Constitution Unit Bulletin (12). The Constitution Unit, University College London. September 2000. ISSN1465-4377. Retrieved 16 May 2024.
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