Bernie Sanders's brother to run in Cameron seat

The 82-year-old, who is Green Party spokesman on health-care and social care, said that he and Bernie had influenced each other. "It's interesting how similar our views are, often without having to talk to each other," he added.

Their childhood years were the key to their shared ideals. "In those days, Jewish Brooklyn was a very left-wing place. Now, Jewish populations in both the US and Britain are becoming more right-wing."

Mr Sanders, who regularly visits his cousins who live in an Israeli moshav, said his upbringing was very Jewish. "It certainly influences my politics," he added. "I can't pretend I have a deeply religious ideology, but there is no doubt that Jewishness and justice were synonymous in my mind. We learned about looking after 'the stranger in your midst'."

He did not expect to be "quite as successful" as his brother's campaign, which attracted 13 million votes but ultimately failed to win Bernie the Democratic Party's nomination.

But he hoped to get his £500 deposit back - which would require matching the five per cent of votes the Greens earned in the Cotswold constituency at last year's General Election.

During campaigning, he will have more than half an eye on events in America as the presidential race between Mrs Clinton and Donald Trump reaches a climax.

"I still think Mrs Clinton will win. A Trump election would be a disaster," he said.