City candidates head for the States to learn from Obama

Published on Saturday 30 August 2008 11:55

TWO parliamentary candidates are heading to America to see if Barack Obama's campaign tactics could help them get elected in Edinburgh.

Liberal Democrats Kevin Lang and Alex Cole-Hamilton have volunteered to spend two weeks working for the Democratic campaign in Virginia – one of the most closely-fought states – in the hope of picking up some useful hints for their own bids for power.

Mr Lang, Lib Dem candidate for Edinburgh North and Leith at the next Westminster election, said: "American politics are very different and there are lots of things we would definitely not want to bring over, such as the very negative style of campaigning.

"But Barack Obama has managed to inspire a new generation of voters and we will be interested to see how they go about enthusing young people not just to vote but to get involved in politics."

Mr Cole-Hamilton, who is the party's candidate for the same seat at Holyrood, said they hoped to learn from the Democrats' success in engaging with voters.

He said: "We want to see what buttons they are pushing, what language they are using."

Edinburgh North and Leith is currently held by Labour at both Holyrood and Westminster.