US Presidential Democratic Candidate Senator Obama arrived on these shores, on the last leg of his week-long European tour, this week with a mission to see “how we can strengthen the transatlantic relationship to solve problems that can’t be solved by any single country individually”. While it is heartening to see the Illinois Congressman fully engaging with Britain’s current and future leaders we must be wary of getting carried away with style and rhetoric and rather ought to concentrate on the substance of the campaign.

Without doubt Obama is a highly energetic, charismatic man whose over-arching message is one of “hope” and “change” and his election as Commander in Chief would be a highly symbolic moment in US history. On the other hand McCain’s image is somewhat more sedate on account of his age, yet politics is not about image; it is about substance. The triumvirate of passion, responsibility and judgment are the pre-requisites of a great politician and McCain clearly trumps Obama on these. The principled Republican Arizonan Senator definitely has the experience and temperament to hold the highest office. Moreover, his policies are the best for both the security of the US and the responsibility accorded to the US by virtue of its economic position in the world.

On the home front Gordon Brown’s image has been taking yet another battering with a further round of calamitous cartoons in the newspapers this week. In contrast Cameron’s fresh, new exciting approach is much more appealing. Nevertheless, I hope that the next general election is fought on the grounds of pure substance. If elections of the future are a battle only over image and style then this will surely only contribute to widespread political apathy. Substance is about political principles and this is the arena in which democracy ought to be acted out.