Gordon Robinson | Cry for Jamaica, not our imperialist colonisers

Jamaicans love farce.

So the game of musical chairs being played at Downing Street has captured Jamaicans’ attention for a few weeks.

Don’t you love farce?

My fault, I fear

I thought that you’d want what I want

Sorry, my dear!

But where are the clowns?

There ought to be clowns

Quick, send in the clowns!

England’s political implosion featured a tussle between Liz Truss and Rishi Sunak to succeed a scandal-ridden Boris Johnson as UK prime minister. Because consulting the British people about this was a non-starter under Westminster rules, the Conservative Party did its best to avoid foisting the son of Indian immigrants upon white Brexiteer voters. Instead, its members, especially from the very conservative Southern belt, chose a more “acceptable” occupant of 10 Downing Street even though it was obvious from the outset that she was about as astute as Elmer Fudd.

In acrimonious pre-“election” debates, Rishi declared that he wouldn’t serve in any Cabinet led by Liz while she exhibited a dearth of national leadership qualities by throwing shade on French President Emmanuel Macron.

Isn’t it rich?

Are we a pair?

Me here at last on the ground,

You in mid-air,

Send in the clowns.

But the three-ring circus was only another symptom of a disease caused by a “Westmonster” virus introduced into the UK as a strategy to quell land barons’ revolt against King John’s taxes. It was never meant to provide government by the people for the people.

Symptoms of this chronic disease have been apparent for centuries, but space only allows me to go back about 12 years. In May 2010, shortly before a general election was due, Gordon Brown resigned as British PM, and on his recommendation, Queen Elizabeth II invited David Cameron to form a Government. In that election, Conservatives won most seats but not an absolute majority in UK’s multiparty Parliament, so Cameron was forced to negotiate (with the Lib-Dems) Britain’s first coalition Government since World War II.

Shocking all political pundits, Cameron’s Conservative Party was re-elected in 2015 with an absolute majority. But he vigorously opposed Brexit and influenced Scotland’s vote to remain in the UK by promising that the UK would stay in the EU. So when Brexiteers, led by Boris Johnson, won that referendum, Cameron resigned as PM in 2016. The Conservative Party chose Theresa May to succeed him.

She lasted three years. In 2018, she called an ill-advised snap election. It resulted in Conservatives losing their absolute majority and having to govern again as a coalition, this time with Northern Ireland’s Democratic Unionist Party. On December 4, 2018, May’s government was held in contempt of Parliament by a vote of 311 MPs to 293 – another historical first. Under persistent pressure from the Conservative Party she ostensibly led, May resigned in June 2019.

Isn’t it bliss?

Don’t you approve?

One who keeps tearing around,

One who can’t move.

Where are the clowns?

Send in the clowns.

The Conservative Party chose Alexander Boris de Pfeffel Johnson to replace Theresa. Boris also lasted three years, which included another snap election, called in 2019 after using Westminster-style political trickery to prorogue Parliament to avoid an anti-Brexit vote. That strategy was subsequently ruled “unconstitutional” by UK’s Supreme Court, which is quaint since Britain, as a monarchy, doesn’t have a Constitution. Conservatives won another absolute majority in that election, and Boris appeared unstoppable until his involvement in several scandals caused Conservative MPs to force his resignation.

THE LESSON

The party chose Liz Truss who, like Boris, is about as different from Donald Trump and Giorgia Meloni as callaloo is from spinach (Rastaman, leave me alone)! She almost instantly crashed the economy with tax cuts for the rich and spending hikes, so Conservative MPs forced her out. Boris, ever the narcissistic opportunist, flew home from a Caribbean holiday to try a comeback, trusting that Conservatives would take anybody over a non-white to sleep in a 10 Downing Street bed. No such luck!

Just when I’d stopped opening doors,

Finally knowing the one that I wanted was yours

Making my entrance again with my usual flair

Sure of my lines

No one is there

By this time, Conservative MPs, reading the political tea leaves that had them trailing Labour Party by unprecedented margins in the polls, decided to try anybody but Boris. After all, they still had two years to right the ship with competent financial management. So Rishi Sunak, rejected by the same party members who had supported Brexit on the “Make Britain White Again” political platform, was inserted as PM by 100+ Conservative MPs who overruled party members’ electoral preferences.

Isn’t it rich?

Isn’t it queer?

Losing my timing this late in my career?

And where are the clowns?

Quick, send in the clowns.

Don’t bother, they’re here

Send in the Clowns was written by iconic composer-lyricist Stephen Sondheim for the 1973 musical A Little Night Music, an adaptation of Ingmar Bergman’s 1955 film Smiles of a Summer Night. It became Sondheim’s biggest success after Frank Sinatra recorded it in 1973. Judy Collins also charted with it in 1975. Today’s lyrics come from Barbra Streisand’s brilliant cover. My favourite version is recorded by superb Welsh Jazz singer Cleo Laine. The song is about life’s ironies.

So Rishi Sunak, at age 42 years 166 days, becomes the youngest UK prime minister since Robert Jenkinson (1812; 42 years one day). He might still be PM at 43 but not for much longer because as soon as Brexiteer voters get a chance, I expect them to unceremoniously evict Rishi from a residence they probably feel he oughtn’t to have been allowed to sully with his presence and his party punished for its effrontery by banishment to opposition benches.

If you don’t believe me, ask Barack Obama what happens to a party that nominates for president a black man who then shocks white supremacists by occupying the “White” House. At least Barack won a national election. Rishi won an “election” that excluded the general electorate.

So what’s the lesson here? Cameron was a liberal conservative. May, Johnson, and Truss were Thatcheresque. But they suffered the same fate as Maggie – removed from office by politicians instead of electors and replaced by votes of one political party’s members/MPs.

THE MONARCHIST ANTI-DEMOCRACY DISEASE

Back in JamRock, Jamaicans “voted” for Donald Sangster in 1967, but after he died, the Chief (oops, sorry, “JLP MPs”) appointed Hugh Shearer instead. In 1989, Jamaicans “voted” for Michael Manley, but when he retired due to illness, 3,000 PNP delegates (some real, some imagined) or 0.1 per cent of the population gave them PJ Patterson. In 2003, Jamaicans “voted” for Patterson ,but PNP delegates gave them Portia Simpson-Miller. In 2007, Jamaicans “voted” for Bruce Golding, but 32 JLP MPs appointed Andrew Holness.

These are symptoms of a disease called Monarchist Anti-democracy, whereby when elections are held, voters are restricted to voting only for constituency representatives. Party delegates decide in advance that one of two individuals will be PM. Even if voters get the MP of their choice, they must take the chance he/she will be sent to Cabinet where constituency needs become distant memories.

The UK’s circus act exposes the incongruity in Westminster’s conflation of MP/minister/senator (House of Lords) roles. These roles come with distinctly different responsibilities, which nobody can effectively combine. A PM is government’s CEO who manages the business for citizens’ welfare. A party leader works for the party’s welfare. Remember when Prime Minister Portia was asked about Trafigura she replied, “Ask the PNP”?

An MP represents ALL constituents in making laws for good governance and lobbying government agencies to deliver constituents’ needs. A government minister creates policy to implement and enforce laws passed by MPs and budgets approved by MPs. MPs’ role includes monitoring and supervising Government (whether by itself or through commissions like the Integrity Commission) to ensure accountability.

How on earth do human beings monitor or supervise themselves? How do they pass laws then implement them impartially? How do they resist temptation to appoint cronies, hacks, and family members to run government agencies for private gain? HOW?

So please stop obsessing on UK politics. Don’t cry for Liz, Boris, Theresa, or David. For pity’s sake, don’t cry for our imperialist colonisers, the UK.

Cry for Jamaica who still suffers from the morally bankrupt anti-democratic virus with which Britain deliberately infected us. It’s on THIS hill Jamaican human rights activists should be prepared to die because, until we rid Jamaica of this monstrous virus, human rights violations will only mutate and spread.

For my part, until, at the very least, I’m given the courtesy of a REAL vote for PM/MP/senator (staggered fixed terms to keep them on their toes), and fixed election dates, I won’t participate in Jamaica’s colonially imposed sham democracy.

Peace and Love!

- Gordon Robinson is an attorney-at-law. Email feedback to columns@gleanerjm.com