The recent UK elections are not irrelevant to Jamaica as we — unconsciously or consciously — model our institutions and conduct on the British. We are black, but Africa is not our role model. Britain is our legal, cultural and constitutional home. More than a million of us now live there for more than a generation, remit billions, and it is a place of choice to live and work for them.

The umbilicus between Jamaica and Britain is real. Contrast this with Caricom/CSME — the West Indian islands our masses choose not to visit, live or, when given choice, our fathers exited union with.

British elections matter. Our global credibility is based on English cachet and the UK, English speakers are a major tourist cohort, our governance is British style — or so we proudly tell tourists to allay their fears. The UK is our original trading partner and our social, political, commercial mores are not of China or Africa, but irrevocably British.

So what lessons in the elections? As a Commonwealth citizen, I worked on three UK and one mayoral campaign — team leader, outdoor agent, telemarketer, and at times visiting JLP and PNP people observed. We may boot The Queen, but we cannot detach from UK politics. Selah.

David Cameron’s Conservative (Tory) party’s victory is the first time in a generation a sitting party increased margins and sent three party leaders to pasture: Labour’s Ed Miliband, Liberal Democrat’s Nick Clegg and United Kingdom Independence Party’s Nigel Farage resigned within hours. In March, when the parliament prorogued, MPs took to the hustings, and for six weeks raw politics — the quest for power by promises, coercion; hopes, fears and dreams of voters — was the only game in town. The big prize was the control of the sixth largest economy in recovery mode; jobs for cronies and to serve some 60 million people. Same as here, but smaller, and no rich men enter politics but many exit rich. The Tory party is right wing, with hereditary wealth and good intentions — like the JLP, minus the wealth. They had a credible story, a rich leader born to the job, kids in State school, but Labour’s “champagne socialists” kids go to private school. Tories want to privatise health; restrict immigration, social welfare spend; and favour business.

Labour is the party of the working class, but the lines are blurred. Former leader Ed Miliband has the charisma of a wet rag and threw his brother David under the bus to get the job. He abandoned centrist policies, embraced “soak the rich” class warfare, which had no traction with the centre left. As I audited UK talk shows it was clear that many Labour voters might vote Tory as they were more connected. Ed’s Cain-and-Abel move against David was slick, but the trust factor was the elephant in the room — he lost. Diehards don’t win elections. Polls are won by people without certainty; men and women with doubts, fears who decide on the day. Be very afraid of men who are so certain they cannot consider another outcome.

The Westminster Model is not set in stone, even in Westminster. We note the local government poll was on the same ballot, so we can do it too. The Tories won 331 of 650 seats, Labour 232, SNP 56, Lib Dem 8, so Cameron continues as PM. A UK constituency has on average 100,000 voters; we have fewer voters per MP and are over-governed but under-represented, as 30 to 40 MPs are enough. The “first past the post” is now discredited and proportional representation is on the agenda. UKIP got 12.6 per cent of the votes and one seat, while the SNP got 4.6 per cent of the votes and 56 seats; something is terribly wrong when the party that is tenth in votes garnered more seats than UKIP that’s third. The model will change for justice.

European Union membership is not set in stone either. Cameron’s victory speech affirmed a Brexit (British exit from the EU) referendum in 2017. Germany’s Der Spiegel wrote this is “bad news for Europe” — not for Britain. In like manner, exiting CSME would be bad for the West Indies as predators on our market, but good for us. London Mayor Boris Johnson agreed with Brexit: “The British people haven’t had a vote on this (EU membership) for 40 years. It will be good not only for Britain but for the whole of Europe.” The lesson for Jamaica? We can have a referendum on Caricom/CSME to decide on union with small, poor, distant West Indian islands, and elect 14 MPs to sit in our capital Turkeyen, Guyana, South America. Free movement in the EU means migrants from poor EU states drive down wages and British workers suffer. The talk shows indicate they — some are our Patois speakers — are unhappy at the flood of foreigners, civic information in six languages, interpreters and long waits in courts and hospitals. To add insult, the EU has ordered the UK to take African and Arab migrants arriving in Italy against the wishes of British politicians and people. Something’s gotta give!

The elections prove our diaspora has to be political to be effective. Welfare does not cut it. We were first, but have no impact on elections as Asian and Africans. Our Diane Abbott is a mayoral hopeful as the talent is thin. They do not impact aid; trade is a major option, but though the UK/EU gives millions to stimulate sugar, coffee, cocoa, banana, our people do not work. The Tories lauded turning the UK from depression to growth. By contrast the PNP won the economic competence argument but are not shouting it out. Why? Peter turned us from free fall to stability and paid off the deficit of trust from the Holness-IMF years. He questions the primary surplus compared to Greece, but our success vs Greek meltdown is proof our team accurately matched the pressure to our ability to bear it.

The elections reignited the Scottish question as SNP’s 56 seats forebodes the 700-year union. The vote in Wales and Northern Ireland mean more power to local parliaments and less to the union flag. The “Singapore Effect” is in vogue. A small country with few resources can become a world power if the people have a mind to work. The Scots know this! The waste of UK parties brings renewal; so UKIP and Lib Dem find new blood and Labour’s stars in the ascendant are Yvette Cooper and Chuka Umunna; look for a female or black prime minister in this generation. We need to pressure our politicians to use the Westminster system to better the lot of the masses, not to play silly games. Stay conscious, my friend!

Dr Franklin Johnston is a strategist, project manager and advises the minister of education. Send comments to franklinjohnstontoo@gmail.com