Mr Davies, who is now a member of the National Assembly for Wales, should consider his future as chairman of the assembly's powerful economic development committee, according to a senior Welsh Labour figure.

Jim Hancock, chairman of the Welsh Labour Party, has said that he believes Ron Davies' weekly revelations in the newspapers are harming the assembly.

Mr Davies, who represents Caerphilly in the assembly, resigned as Welsh secretary in 1998 after his much-publicised "moment of madness" on Clapham Common when he said he was mugged after going off with a stranger.

Ron Davies in the Assembly

He has since undergone a partial rehabilitation, partly through his appointment as chairman of an influential assembly committee, and he has enjoyed widespread support not only within the Welsh Labour establishment but within Welsh political circles generally thanks to his status as the main architect of the successful devolution campaign of 1997.

However, following a series of newspaper allegations, his position has come under increasing scrutiny. After the most recent publicity, he issued a statement saying he was bisexual, and this Sunday he told a newspaper he is seeking psychiatric help due to a disorder which makes him seek out dangerous situations.

'Homosexual undercurrent'

He also disclosed there may have been a homosexual undercurrent to the Clapham Common incident.

Now, the suggestion from Jim Hancock that he should consider his position seems to indicate that the Labour establishment in Wales could be losing its patience with Mr Davies.

Mr Hancock said he would have to speak to other members of the Labour executive before giving any official Labour Party view.

Labour takes soundings

But senior Labour assembly members are taking soundings of Labour members about Mr Davies' future ahead of Tuesday's Labour group meeting.

In response to the comments, Mr Davies said he had "nothing whatsoever" to add to what has already been said in the newspaper.

He said he considered it despicable that someone should say that he was "damaging the Welsh assembly" just because he's seeking professional help for a psychiatric disorder.