TV newsreader Huw Edwards is to chair the convention on Day 1 of autoretailing 05, and will moderate the Q&A sessions.

In a first for an AM event, Edwards will be using an electronic voting system to gauge the strength of delegate feeling on issues raised throughout the day.

The anchor of BBC’s Ten O’Clock News, Edwards joined the BBC as a trainee, and worked briefly in Cardiff before moving to London as Parliamentary correspondent.

He joined John Cole’s team, servicing all BBC network TV and radio programmes with political news and analysis. He then helped set up BBC News 24 before being promoted to the Six O’Clock bulletin.