NEWPORT council's former leader has vowed that his party will not be destructive in opposition.

Councillor Bob Bright led Newport's Labour council from 2004 until yesterday, when the Conservatives and Liberal Democrats officially announced they were going into coalition and taking control of the authority.

And while Labour remains the biggest party in the council, with 22 seats, it is the first time in decades that the party has played an opposition role in Newport.

Yesterday, Councillor Bright, who represents the city's Ringland ward, gave his reaction to the shifted balance.

"I am saddened at the change," he said.

"But we must remember Labour is still the largest single party.

"If either the Conservatives or the Liberal Democrats had taken overall majority, it would have been very different."

Indeed, Councillor Bright is heartened by the fact that Labour in Newport did not suffer the same devastating blows suffered by the party in its other former strongholds across south Wales.

The fact that they weathered this national storm is, he suggests, because of the results his group achieved over the last four years.

He cites as examples Newport's green and recycling credentials, its sound financial state, the accolades the education system has received from Estyn and, above all, the progress being made towards the city's regeneration.

He said: "My personal hope is that regeneration should go on and that nothing daft happens in Newport that might impede its progress."

And to that end, Councillor Bright is determined not to let acrimony stand in the way of the city's advancement.

"We are not going to be destructive. But we will make sure as far as we can that we continue to see the city develop."

Councillor Bright says he was initially willing to consider an alliance with the Liberal Democrats or even the briefly mooted Rainbow Coalition.

But, he said, discussions did not prove fruitful and he acknowledges that running a minority administration would have been fraught with difficulties.

Indeed, he claims not to be resentful of an opposition role.

"I went into politics with the idea that it means serving people and a community.

"Power at any price is a repugnant concept to me."

The power shift in Gwent COUNCIL BEFORE AFTER Newport Labour; Conservative-Liberal Democrat coalition Torfaen Labour; Labour (with support from some Plaid Cymru and Independent councillors) Blaenau Gwent Labour; Rainbow Coalition (Independents, People's Voice, Lib Dems) Caerphilly Labour; Plaid Cymru (with support from some independents) Monmouthshire Conservative; Conservative