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Owen Smith declared himself to be “normal” as he sought to gain the upper hand in the Labour leadership race.

The former shadow work and pensions secretary is little known outside Westminster.

When interviewed on Sky News, the Pontypridd MP said: “I’m glad you think I’m normal. I am normal. I grew up in a normal household. I’ve got a wife and three children. My wife is a primary school teacher.

“I’ve been in Parliament for six years, before that I had two or three other jobs, in business, in politics and advising the peace process in Northern Ireland.” Former BBC journalist Mr Smith did not appear to be seeking to compare himself to leadership rivals Angela Eagle and Jeremy Corbyn.

An aide added: “He was just trying to say that he is an ordinary person, proud to live and represent his own community in Parliament.” Mr Smith also said that he wanted the leadership contest to be fought in a “comradely” way, a position echoed by Ms Eagle and Mr Corbyn.

However, he risked controversy with his remarks as they come just days after Andrea Leadsom suffered a severe backlash after highlighting how she had children while her then Tory leadership rival Theresa May did not.

Mr Smith and Ms Eagle, one of the first openly gay woman MPs, were laying out to MPs today their visions for the Labour Party as they were both under pressure to agree to a “unity” candidate to challenge Mr Corbyn for the leadership.

The Welsh MP has agreed to stand aside if Merseyside MP Ms Eagle gets more backing, fuelling speculation that he is likely to gain more support which would put the onus on her to pull out of the race.

Owen Smith: ‘problems facing Londoners are at the front of my mind’

I may have launched my leadership campaign in Wales yesterday, but when announcing plans for a £200 billion British New Deal many of the challenges facing Londoners were at the front of my mind. Not least because the housing crisis in our capital is one of the clearest examples of government failing to take action and ordinary people paying the price for it.

A chronic lack of homes to rent or buy is holding millions of Londoners back. So a key part of my British New Deal would be major investment to get the country building.

In Sadiq Khan, Londoners have the strongest and most hard-working mayor possible to stand up for them. Yet Londoners also need a united Labour party that can take on the Tories at a national level.

We also know that despite this being such a wonderful city, with no end of opportunities, many people feel locked out due to poverty, as the Standard’s Dispossessed campaign showed.

I’m proud to have led the Labour campaign that forced the Tories into U-turns over plans to cut tax credits and support for the disabled.

If members put their trust in me, I promise to not only lead the most powerful opposition possible, but return Labour to power.

Angela Eagle: I’m right to challenge Corbyn

Sometimes in politics you just have to put your head above the parapet.

I knew that standing against Jeremy Corbyn for the Labour leadership would prompt a backlash. But it is the right thing to do.

He has re-positioned Labour as an anti-austerity party, and I welcome this. But look at what else is happening.

Some of his supporters are using the same tactics of bullying and intimidation that Militant deployed in the Eighties.

Labour is failing to provide effective opposition to a Conservative govern- ment that has waged war on our public services, and the doctors, nurses and teachers that make them function.

Britain is deeply and dangerously divided. Brexit has presented particular challenges to London, threatening the powerhouse of the British economy.

But today both London and the regions are starved of resources by the government. The health of our democracy requires a second party offering a coherent alternative programme and capable of securing power. Under Jeremy, we offer neither.