IT WAS an eventful first day at the Welsh Labour spring conference today, as first minister Carwyn Jones announced he was quitting and the party elected its first-ever deputy leader.

Mr Jones’ shock announcement that he will stand down in the autumn, with the new first minister to be in place by the end of the year, came at the end of his keynote speech.

For the full story on Carwyn Jones' announcement of his resignation, click here.

Today also saw the election of the party’s first-ever deputy leader, with Swansea East MP Carolyn Harris narrowly beating Cardiff North AM Julie Morgan to the role.

In his speech Mr Jones paid tribute to victories in last year’s snap General Election, saying: “Working together we achieved the best result in Wales for a generation.

“The election result was better than expected,” he said. “But we did not win.

“And for communities up and down Wales, a win for Labour, for fairness, is all that matters.

“We can’t afford to be complacent – because what was the big lesson of that Tory campaign?

“That you cannot take people for granted.

“So sure they were of a big win, they stopped talking to people, they stopped asking for permission to govern, they took it as a right.

“We can never make that mistake.”

Mr Jones also announced the NHS bursary scheme will continue for another year, saying “it’s the right thing to do.”

He added: “Despite every callous cut from the Tories in Westminster, and despite every savage attack on our services, we have responded with that one doctrine - the notion of fairness.

“A fair shake of the dice, a fair reward for a fair day’s work, a fair start in life.”

The deputy leadership race was very close, with Ms Harris winning 51.5 per cent of the vote, in comparison with Mrs Morgan’s 48.5 per cent.

But there has been some controversy around the use of the electoral college system, through which one third of the votes is allocated to AMs, MPs and MEPs, another third to trade unions and other affiliated bodies, and the final third to party members, in the vote.

While Ms Harris won the majority of votes from Parliamentarian and affiliates, Mrs Morgan won the majority of party members. This is likely to intensify the call for a one-member-one-vote system – the method which was used to elect Jeremy Corbyn as the party’s national leader.

For the full story on Cllr Harris' election as deputy leader click here.

Today also say a debate on Brexit presented by finance secretary Mark Drakeford and Wales MEP Derek Vaughan.

Opening the debate, Mr Drakeford, tipped by many to be a potential replacement as first minister, said many people on both the leave and remain sides remain “bewildered and angry” at the Brexit result.

“We know what matters most to our fellow citizens,” he said. “If this rotten Tory Government won’t stand up for them they should move out of the way.”

And Mr Vaughan said the EU had “run rings” around the UK Government during the Brexit negotiations.

“If this was a boxing match it would have been stopped,” he said.

He added: “The least worst option is staying in the customs union and single market. I think everybody accepts that.

“But it’s not a great option – It’s still a second-best option.”

And Cardiff North MP Anna McMorrin said: “Brexit is not of the people, by the people and for the people. It is of the nationalist right, by the nationalist right and for the nationalist right.”

Meanwhile counsel general Jeremy Miles claimed the UK Government was attempting to use the Brexit negotiations as an attempt to undermine the devolution settlement.

Mr Vaughan also presented a report on the state of the steel industry this afternoon.

He said: “You will be aware of how important the steel industry is for the Welsh economy.

“Any threat to this industry is rightly met with a reaction from the Welsh Government and our trade unions.”

But he added the UK Government had provided “no action, only excuses”.

Mr Vaughan also blasted president Trump’s steel tariffs, calling it “a populist move by a populist president.”

“The EU of course wants to avoid a damaging trade war which would benefit no one. But it is deploying counter measures just in case,” he said.

“It’s good to know the EU is on our side and is working for our steel industry. It’s a great shame that this might not be the case next year and we will be on our own.”

MP for Aberavon – which includes Port Talbot – Stephen Kinnock also spoke during the debate, calling the massive facility in his constituency “the beating heart of the community”.

“We’ve been through some dark days of late, let’s make no bones about it,” he said.

Claiming the Conservative Party “don’t give a damn about our industry”, he added: “Welsh Labour stand up for steel. The Tories in Westminster stand aside.”

Today also saw a speech by shadow Welsh secretary Christina Rees in which she claimed the Conservative Party was only interested in power “at any cost”.

“This Tory Government is determined to make Wales a poorer country, a moor unequal country with a diminished voice and it is our job to stop them” she said.

She added: “We can turn to the voters at the next election with our heads held high and ask them to vote for the things which really matter to them.”

Today also included a speech on 100 years of women’s suffrage by Baroness Anita Gale, a presentation on the work of the Welsh Local Government Association by its leader Cllr Debbie Wilcox, also the leader of Newport City Council, as well as debates on health, education, period poverty and other issues.

Tomorrow’s main event is a speech by Labour Party leader Jeremy Corbyn. Tomorrow will also include an address by general secretary of the UK party Jennie Formby and a debate on a United and Connected Wales, as well as obituaries and awards.

Argus reporter Ian Craig is reporting live from the conference. Follow along on Twitter via @ArgusICraig