The government is attempting to brush aside Wednesday's serious blow to Prime Minister Tony Blair's devolution project after Alun Michael was forced to step down as Welsh first secretary.

As the political fall out following the resignation continued, Labour contender for London Mayor Ken Livingstone waded into the row over Labour's alleged "control freak" tendencies and called on the prime minister not to repeat the same mistakes in the capital.

Mr Livingstone told BBC News Online that any attempts to impose a Labour candidate on London, as Alun Michael was imposed against the wishes of the party rank and file in Wales, risked a serious "backlash" at the polls.

'Voters will punish Labour'

He said: "The backlash will come on polling day for Labour.

"There is not the slightest doubt that what we have seen in Wales could be replicated in London.

"If Londoners are unhappy with the way the contest has been run, they will punish Labour."

But Scottish Secretary John Reid downplayed the crisis, which saw Mr Michael stand down minutes before a vote of no confidence in his leadership, as one of the "growing pains" the new devolved assemblies would face.

'Passing down power'

Dr Reid said Labour was committed to seeing devolution work and Downing Street had relinquished power rather than tightened the reins.

He told the BBC: "Tony Blair has presided over a government which could have stuck with a huge majority at Westminster, which could have been in control there, but we did precisely the opposite.

"We passed down more power to Wales, to Scotland, we're intending to do it to London, than any other government in 300 years.

Dr Reid said Mr Michael's resignation was one of the consequences of the "uncharted waters" after "bringing about radical change".

"It cannot be trivialised into a matter of politics, everyone knows there will be growing pains here."

Mr Michael could be proud of his record in delivering devolution said Dr Reid, who also praised Mr Morgan as "absolutely loyal".

But the Tories say the prime minister's desire to hang on to power while also trying to pursue an agenda of devolution has finally backfired.

During Prime Minister's Questions on Wednesday, Mr Blair appeared to not know that Mr Michael had quit as Tory leader William Hague demanded that he should stop interfering in the Welsh Assembly.

Later, Downing Street sought to play down the Commons clash, saying that the Prime Minister had known of the impending resignation - but he believed that confirming this to the chamber would leave the party open to accusations of control freakery.

But William Hague told the BBC the government had not properly realised the full implications of devolution and added that further constitutional changes needed to be made.

He said: "This is a very serious setback for the control freak tendency. "

Mr Hague called for "English votes on English laws" and said the Tories "would end the situation where Scottish MPs can vote on everything going on in England but not vice versa."

The Tory leader also had a warning for the Liberal Democrats saying if they tried to prop up Labour in Wales as they had done in Scotland the voters would turn their backs on the party.

"Voters in the south west and other Liberal seats do not want a party that is simply a collection of Labour poodles," he said.