The Labour frontbencher in charge of the review of Scottish Labour's future is to hold talks with US Democrats tomorrow to find out how the American party clawed its way back to power after years in the wilderness.
Jim Murphy, Shadow Defence Secretary, is to visit Washington for meetings designed to help turn his party’s fortunes around.
Labour is keen to learn lessons from the Democrats’ years in opposition while George W Bush was President. They also want to learn from the mistakes the party made, with the aim of returning to power as quickly as possible.
Among the issues under discussion will be the use of social networks and community organisation and the role they both played in the triumphant election of Barack Obama.
A Labour source said: “Especially in the context of Scotland, we know that we cannot just wheel out the ’97 playbook. The world has changed.
“We need to have a two-way relationship with people, we can’t just rely on a really well-controlled central message. That is definitely one of the lessons of the Obama campaign.”
Mr Murphy, MP for East Renfrewshire, is due to meet community organiser Arnie Graf, a key mentor to Mr Obama, who runs a number of community projects in Washington.
Mr Murphy and his team will also meet pollster Stan Greenberg to discuss ways of targeting sections of voters unconvinced by Labour’s message.
Part of the trip will also involve talking to the Progressive Policy Institute, the think tank sometimes described as “Bill Clinton’s ideas mill”, which was influential in shaping Democratic policy while the party was in opposition.
Mr Murphy was charged with the “root and branch” look at Scottish Labour in the wake of the party’s disastrous Holyrood election defeat in May.
The review was designed as a prelude to the election of a new leader for the party, but it emerged at the weekend Iain Gray could stay for at least a year.
Mr Gray had announced that he would stand down “in the autumn” but if, as expected, the review strengthens the role of Scottish leader, then that could be delayed until the spring.
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