Young, mixed-race, charismatic: Chuka Umunna enters Labour leadership race

As the British Labour Party considers its future following its worst defeat in nearly three decades, some members are looking, as a possible saviour, to a tall, young, charismatic mixed-race man with an African name.

This may sound familiar, to Americans.

Chuka Umunna, who on Tuesday jumped into the race to become his party's next leader, rolls his eyes at the "British Obama" tag that was first applied to him when he made his debut on the political scene.

But the echo probably helped him get ahead. He was further helped by his polished manner, his elegant tailoring and a total lack of any burden of self-doubt.

If he succeeds in winning the Labour leadership, he will not just be the first black person to do the job, but at 36, the youngest.

At the moment, Umunna is the party's spokesman on business, in charge of crafting policy and wooing chairmen in Britain's boardrooms.

Given that the party's last leader, Ed Miliband, tended to make speeches attacking business, this has not been an easy role. Umunna, a corporate lawyer until he was elected to Parliament in 2010, toured companies in the wake of Miliband's pronouncements, trying to apply some subtle nuance.