Gordon Brown looks to Obama for help after Glasgow East by-election shock

Jul 27 2008 By Mark Aitken, Political Editor

BATTERED Gordon Brown's aides yesterday turned to Barack Obama to save Labour from more humiliation at the ballot box.

The PM met the US presidential candidate 36 hours after the disastrous Glasgow East by-election defeat at the hands of the SNP put his leadership on the line.

Democrat Obama flew into the UK on the last leg of his European tour leading Republican rival John McCain in the White House race.

In public he reassured Brown over his plummeting popularity. He said: "You're always more popular before you're actually in charge. Once you're responsible, you're going to make some people unhappy."

But in private Brown's advisers picked through the shambles of Glasgow East and Labour's other by-election disasters. Aides for both men discussed what the Premier can learn from Obama's election tactics - based on a series of campaigns and internet ads which created a mass movement of supporters and earned him millions of dollars from donors.

The senator has two million online pals on social networks like Facebook.

A Labour source said: "Gordon might be a much older and more experienced politician but there is a lot he can learn from Obama and his election campaign."

Obama had breakfast with Tony Blair yesterday morning before talks with Brown at Downing Street. They discussed strengthening the relationship between the US and Britain and Obama thanked Brown for the UK's "stalwart assistance" over issues such as Afghanistan.

Obama then met David Cameron at the Houses of Parliament.

Just hours later, Brown and his family began their summer holiday by visiting Whitlingham Country Park near Norwich.

They then travelled to Southwold, Suffolk, where Brown, hiswife Sarah and their children, John, four, and Fraser, two, will to stay for a week.

Mr Brown told reporters: "I think everybody's ready for a holiday."