Politics at bottom is not all that complicated. It’s all about timing. And this time around in the U.K., it was the young and charismatic David Cameron and his Conservative Party that trumped the old and tired reigning prime minister, Gordon Brown and the Labour Party. And the radical and unique campaign theme for the Tories? Vote for change. And that’s what most elections boil down to: change versus more of the same. And when things ain’t going so hot, particularly with the economy, it’s a pretty good bet the party in power is going to get its walking papers.

• More Daily Beast writers weigh in on the U.K. electionWhile it appears the Conservatives will fail to win an outright majority, it also appears they came closer than pundits anticipated in recent days, which means they will easily form a coalition government. It’s a good thing Conservatives will be at the wheel in coming months as Britain has a debt problem approaching that of Greece. And Cameron and company appear to be anxious to repair and develop stronger relations with America. Conservatives in the U.S. should take note that their British counterparts moved away from slavish devotion to the memory and policies of Margaret Thatcher (Cameron vowed “We are never going back”) by embracing gay rights and a green agenda.

The Conservatives put together the perfect formula to win in today’s political environment: a fresh face to represent the party, a message of change and a forward-looking platform of new ideas.

As vice chairman of Public Strategies and president of Maverick Media, Mark McKinnon has helped meet strategic challenges for candidates, corporations and causes, including George W. Bush, John McCain, Governor Ann Richards, Charlie Wilson, Lance Armstrong, and Bono.