David Cameron, the head of the British Conservative Party, has long sought to position himself as the “heir to Blair”, the proper successor to the most successful European politician of recent years. Now, in Obamaworld, it is suggested that Cameron should pass himself off as a British Barack, the hope and change candidate. Prime Minister Gordon Brown is attempting the same thing. But it’s a tricky image makeover for both men. They are both white, for one. And Brown, who has spent the last ten years ruining the British economy, can hardly echo Obama in denouncing “the failed policies of the past”; while Cameron, an old Etonian aristocrat and a direct descendant of King William IV, doesn’t exactly symbolize the triumph of merit. the audacity of hope. (UPDATE: Jack Ross is quite correct to say that Obama is hardly a proletarian champion. Still, the story of his rise to power is somewhat more remarkable than Cameron’s.)

The FT has a good pastiche of what David ‘Barack’ Cameron’s victory might sound like in 2010:

And today we can wear our Bullingdon tailcoats with pride ( shouts of “Hear, hear” ); we can dunk oiks in the fountains and deflower maidservants – or footmen if that’s the way you swing (shouts of “Hurrah”) . We can stand tall and speak plummy. But tonight, after years of oppression, the upper class has spoken out ( loud cheers and champagne bottles hurled ).

Today I saw a 106-year-old woman – lumme, she was wrinkled. But she saw this country defeat the general strike – yes we can. She saw us bash the Hun, not once but twice (thrice if you count Wembley) – yes we bally well can. She saw us roll back the frontiers of the state then roll them forward again – yes we bally well can. She saw us back the masses against the classes and now back the classes once again. Gawd bless you all. Floreat Etona. Bottoms up.”