Obama’s election mastermind to help UK Labour party

David Axelrod, the mastermind behind Barack Obama’s 2008 and 2012 US presidential election victories, is to advise Britain’s Labour party in the run-up to the next general election.

He will work with shadow foreign secretary and election strategist Douglas Alexander until the vote, expected in May 2015.

The party is looking to regain power from the Conservative-led coalition after election defeat in 2010.

“Mr Axelrod will become an integral part of Labour’s team,” Labour said.

“He will also participate in regular strategic discussions with [party leader Ed] Miliband and the Labour campaign team.”

Axelrod said he had been “struck by the power” of Miliband’s ideas and by the “strength of his vision and the focus he brings to solving the fundamental challenge facing Britain”.

“That challenge is how you create an economy which works for everyone: an economy in which every hard-working person can get ahead and deal with the cost-of-living crisis so they can plan for the future and plan for their children.”

He added: “That is how we won in the US. Barack Obama articulated a vision which had, at its core, the experience of everyday people. And everyday people responded, they organised, and they overcame the odds. I see the same thing happening in Britain.”

Miliband described the appointment as “excellent news”.