LUKE BUTLER has gone a long way since his first job.

As a youngster he delivered one of The Northern Echo’s sister papers, the weekly Wear Valley Advertiser, to neighbours in Spennymoor, County Durham. Now, at 29, he has a highflying role in one of America’s busiest municipal offices, as a senior aide in the Philadelphia mayor’s office.

Luke was raised in Spennymoor and attended St Charles Primary School, Tudhoe, then St Leonard’s Comprehensive, in Durham, before moving to London to study.

Six years ago he landed a Thouron Award, a graduate exchange initiative, which paid for him to up sticks and head 3,400 miles to Pennsylvania to study for a masters degree in public administration. Philadelphia, with its rich political heritage as a former capital and a meeting place for the founding fathers of the United States, proved a great place to study government and public policy.

Soon after arriving in Philadelphia Luke met Michael Nutter, who had just announced he was running for Mayor of Philadelphia. “He was the smart guy, the ethical guy, the honest guy, but nobody thought he had a chance to win,” says Luke. “I joined his campaign when there were only a couple of people working for him because I thought he was the best guy for Philadelphia.”

It was a wise move as the small campaign team out-worked, outfundraised and out-performed their rivals, and won the primary election in May 2007, so Nutter became the democratic nominee.

As Philadelphia is a blue city, he was the favourite to win the general election that November, and did so with 82 per cent of the vote. Luke stayed with the team and has made downtown Philadelphia his home, so much so that he describes himself as “an Englishman fighting off a Philly accent”.

He worked as Mayor Nutter’s special assistant, a job known in political circles as the “body man” because they are constantly by the mayor’s side, managing his schedule, briefing him on policy issues and writing speeches. “It was a hugely demanding job, often 14, 16 hour days, but very rewarding,” he says.

“Philly is America’s fifth largest city so there’s a huge amount going on all of the time. We’ve also been in office during the worst recession since the Great Depression and so it’s felt like a bit of a rollercoaster ride.”

Luke was recently promoted to chief of staff to the deputy mayor and still works closely with Mayor Nutter. His career sees him travel the US with some of American politics’ biggest characters and rub shoulders with stars of showbiz and sport.

Working with the Democratic Party, he supports Barack Obama’s presidential election campaign. In 2008, when his dad and eldest brother came to visit him, they ended up pounding the streets to drum up support and urge Americans to cast their vote. A music fan, Luke has gone from playing in church and school bands to hanging out with some of the world’s biggest names like Jay-Z, who recently headlined and hosted a festival in Philadelphia.

His photo album also features snaps of him alongside Prince Edward, Robert De Niro, Bill Clinton and Tony Blair to name but a few.

He also loves sport, but has swapped watching Newcastle United at St James’ Park for American Football team the Philadelphia Eagles.

He keeps in touch with family – parents Chris and Diane and siblings Daniel, Chloe and Jack – and friends back home via the internet.

WHEN he returns, he enjoys catching up over a pint at Green Tree, in Tudhoe Village, or the Swan and Three Cygnets, in Durham, followed by fish and chips from Clem’s or a Greggs pasty.

“Obviously I miss my family and friends a lot and don’t get back as often as I’d like to see them. My life out here is very hectic and a little crazy, so it’s nice to get back home,”

he says.

Although life in Philadelphia is very different to the one Luke had in the North-East, there are similarities.

“People are mad about their sports, generally pretty no-nonsense and down-to-earth,” he says.

“I love living in Philly. It’s a beautiful city and very affordable. There are hundreds of great restaurants, a very vibrant live music scene and great sports teams to support.

“I feel very lucky to have had to opportunity to serve in this particular role for a mayor that I have a great relationship with and a huge amount of respect for. I’ve had the opportunity to do some incredible things and meet some incredible people that I never thought in my life I’d have the opportunity to meet.

“Plus, politics in Philly is nothing if not interesting. It’s definitely a full contact sport.”