British politicians line up to shake hands with Obama

Rumours are rife at Westminster that Barack Obama will be holding a 'thank you' meeting with the Democrats Abroad campaigners in the UK when he arrives in London next week.

There will be a long queue of politicians wanting to meet Obama, led by David Lammy, the Skills Minister, who is a friend of the Democratic candidate and who is in close touch with him about the visit.

There are strong signs that he will be arriving on Friday for a flying visit prior to a short tour of European capitals and Israel before - possibly – visiting Iraq and Afghanistan to meet US troops.

Gordon Brown met Obama on his visit to Washington in April. It was regarded as a feather in Brown's cap that Obama took time out from the primaries to go to meet Brown in the capital. He is promising to shake hands for the cameras at Downing Street before offering some face time to David Cameron, the Tory leader, with whom he will have to deal, unless there is a change soon in the polls on both sides of the pond.

Top item on the Brown-Obama agenda is bound to be whether they should announce a timetable for the withdrawal of troops from Iraq. It would transform Brown's chances with his own party, but Obama has run into flak at home for his wobbles over US troops.

There is also a rumour that Obama might be planning a rally in London, possibly at Hyde Park, but as he's a target for terrorism, the US Security Service may decide that it's too risky to have him play an open-air venue. Either way, he is certain to be a bigger draw than Brown.

THE MOLE: OBAMA VISIT

FIRST POSTED JULY 9, 2008