Here’s what happened with the First Minister vote in Wales

Hot damn today has been exciting.

Normally Scotland gets the exciting stuff, BUT NOT THIS TIME. In yer faces.

But I appreciate, given Wales politics is hardly a common theme in national coverage, you may appreciate a little run down of what happened today.

• There are 60 Assembly Members in the Welsh Assembly. Labour are the biggest party with 29 members, just short of a majority. Plaid Cymru have 12, the Conservatives have 11, Ukip joined in after last week’s elections with 7 and there’s just one Lib Dem.
• Everyone thought Labour would form a minority government. The BBC reported after the Welsh Assembly elections that Welsh Labour leader Carwyn Jones wanted to avoid “many weeks of uncertainty”.
• BUT THAT DIDN’T HAPPEN

Wales today, probably

• Plaid Cymru nominated its leader Leanne Wood for First Minister. That happens — it’s a show of “hey I’m here fyi, we’re the second biggest party, just to remind you.” Obviously Carwyn Jones was put forward by Labour.
• BUT THEN. All of the Conservative and Ukip AMs voted for Leanne Wood, while all of Labour voted for Carwyn Jones.
• Two AMs don’t get to vote — Elin Jones of Plaid Cymru, who is the Assembly’s presiding officer, and the deputy presiding officer Ann Jones, of Labour.
• All eyes were on Welsh Liberal Democrat leader Kirsty Williams… who voted for Carwyn Jones.

• This made it a tie — 29 votes for Wood and 29 for Jones. WAQEURHTWHAEJAHJOHTL. This has never happened before! SO WHAT HAPPENS NOW?

We feel ya Carwyn

• Right now, it’s a lot of posturing on all sides. Labour are accusing Plaid Cymru of being in Ukip and the Tories’ pockets. There’s uncertainty about who spoke to who — Neil Hamilton of Ukip claims that Plaid Cymru approached them on Monday, which Plaid Cymru have wholeheartedly denied.

• In all likelihood, Labour and Plaid will kiss and make up and maybe sort something out. They won’t call another vote until they can make sure there won’t just be another tie. And they’ve got 28 days to do so… and if they don’t? THERE WILL BE ANOTHER ELECTION.

So there you have it. CROESO I GYMRU. Hope that helps.

UPDATE ON DAY 2 OF FUN TIMES AT THE SENEDD

• yesterday, Labour spent a lot of time talking about Plaid Cymru’s “sordid deal” with Ukip and the Conservatives, while Plaid Cymru spent all day tweeting at anyone and everyone that “no deals were made”. Got that?
• WELL.

• everyone is now ringing Neil Hamilton to see what he reckons
• Meanwhile, Labour has been very quick to quash any notions of official talks with Ukip in their statement to WalesOnline, saying:

“There are no formal talks with any parties currently and certainly not UKIP. Nathan Gill, like almost every AM, wanted to speak to the First Minister yesterday. The First Minister wasn’t available so he spoke to a senior member of our group.”

• if that sounds familiar, it should