UPDATE: 9.20am
Newport West MP Paul Flynn told BBC Wales that Owen Smith "should do what Andrea Leadsom did and pull out almost as soon as his campaign gets underway".
UPDATE: 8.30am
Former shadow work and pensions secretary Owen Smith has confirmed that he will stand for the Labour leadership.
UPDATE: 7.27am
FORMER shadow secretary of state for Wales Owen Smith is expected to announce his intention to stand for the Labour leadership later today.
The MP for Pontypridd resigned as shadow work and pensions secretary last month in protest at Jeremy Corbyn's leadership.
He will join Angela Eagle in challenging Corbyn for the party's leadership. Labour's National Executive Committee ruled yesterday Mr Corbyn should automatically be included in the leadership contest.
Mr Smith was shadow secretary of state for Wales from 2012 to 2015 before becoming shadow work and pensions secretary.
Mr Smith tweeted on Sunday: "I am not prepared to stand by and see our party split."
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