Davies mulls political comeback

Ron Davies quit after a "moment of madness" on Clapham Common

Former Labour Welsh Secretary Ron Davies says he is considering standing for the Welsh assembly.

Mr Davies is poised to stand as a candidate in his old Caerphilly constituency in May.

He said he had not reached a decision, but would make a final announcement "within a couple of weeks".

Mr Davies' political career was left in tatters after a 1998 incident with a man on Clapham Common which the former MP described as a "moment of madness".

Mr Davies, long-seen as a pioneer of devolution, decided not to stand in the assembly elections in 2003 after renewed newspaper allegations about his private life.

A year later he quit the Labour party and joined Forward Wales, a new independent party of the left.

'Left behind'

The former MP, policy director of Forward Wales, will meet independent candidates to try to find common ground.

These include the Blaenau Gwent People's Voice movement, which is supporting independent assembly member Trish Law and MP Dai Davies.

He told ITV Wales's Waterfront programme on Thursday night that politics had changed since his unsuccessful election bid as an MEP in 2004, and that he wanted to be "part of the change-making process".

I want to make sure that if I stand there are a clear set of principles on which I and a number of other people stand Former Labour Welsh Secretary Ron Davies

He said: "If I were to stand I would stand in Caerphilly, my old seat. I think it's important to give people a choice.

"Forward Wales has been left behind by the Labour Party and People's Voice have been left behind by the Labour Party so we have got a lot in common."

He added: "I want to make sure that if I stand there are a clear set of principles on which I and a number of other people stand."

Mr Davies had insisted no sexual encounter took place during the 1998 incident and said his car had been stolen during a robbery.