The National Assembly meets for the first time since the New Year with the future of the First Secretary high on the agenda.

It promises to be a turbulent session with the threat of a no-confidence motion still hanging over First Secretary Alun Michael.

The Labour Assembly Group finished an all day meeting on Monday pledging unity and leadership.

It follows a weekend of fierce rows over the views of former Welsh Secretary Ron Davies, who had criticised the party's attitude to the Assembly and handling of European funds.

Dominate

As he faces up to his first question session on Tuesday Alun Michael knows that issue of European funds will dominate the coming weeks.

The opposition parties are still threatening a no-confidence motion in him if he does not secure maximum Treasury matching funds by early February.

And running through all the policy issues is the question of who really runs the Assembly - the minority government or majority opposition.

Welsh Liberal Democrats have already predicted a coalition government in the National Assembly within two months as a possible solution to the deadlock in the Assembly between Labour and the opposition.

And the influential Institute of Welsh Affairs has also criticised Mr Michael's leadership.

A report published before Christmas called for more equal power-sharing.