Collaborative Commonwealth Elections

[MrMittens]

Inspired by the thread on Collaborative World Elections. So starting from the decision to form a United Commonwealth in 1905, involving the UK, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa and Ireland in order to maintain British status in the world the first elections for Commonwealth Prime Minister are held. Here, Joseph Chamberlain of the Protectionist Party wins a slim majority, against the Liberals under the joint leadership of Sir Henry Campbell-Bannerman and Wilfrid Laurier, the Labor Party led jointly by Keir Hardie and Chris Watson and the South Africa Party (a secessionist party) led by J.B.M Hertzog. Chamberlain thus became first Commonwealth Prime Minister.

1905: Joseph Chamberlain: Protectionistcolor]

(probably very unrealistic, but still, just for the fun of it)

[Hatman 🍁]

1905: Joseph Chamberlain: Protectionist
1909: Herbert Henry Asquith: Protectionist-Liberal

[Vote UKIP!]

1905: Joseph Chamberlain: Protectionist
1909: Herbert Henry Asquith: Protectionist-Liberal
[/quote]
1913: David Lloyd-George: Liberal

[MrMittens]

1905: Joseph Chamberlain: Protectionist
1909: Herbert Henry Asquith: Protectionist-Liberal
1913: David Lloyd-George: Liberal
1918: David Lloyd-George: Liberal/Protectionist Alliance [1]

[1] Alliance Formed 1915

[Platypus]

1905: Joseph Chamberlain: Protectionist
1909: Herbert Henry Asquith: Protectionist-Liberal
1913: David Lloyd-George: Liberal
1918: David Lloyd-George: Liberal/Protectionist Alliance

*Alliance Formed 1915

1920: David Lloyd-George: Empire Liberal Party [2]

*Following a major disagreement over the roles of the home nations and other dominions, the Protectionist Party leaves the alliance and focuses exclusively on the British Isles. The Liberal Party wins large margins throughout the remainder of the empire, proposing absolute free trade between member states and heavy protectionism regarding non-members. They also support the idea of the British West Indies, Bermuda, and British Honduras entering as one state, the policy that caused the Protectionists to split. Following the 1920 election, the Liberals govern in minority, with loose support from both the British Protectionist Party and the United Britain and Empire Labour Parties, and hold a referendum in Newfoundland and Labrador about the future status of the territory.

1921: Newfoundland and Labrador referendum part 1

Independence, and membership in the United Commonwealth: 15%
Full integration into Great Britain: 40%
Full integration into Canada: 36%
Independence, without UC membership: 9%

Referendum, part 2:

Full integration into Britain: ?
Full integration in to Canada: ?

(you decide )

[Hatman 🍁]

Nfld joins Canada

1905: Joseph Chamberlain: Protectionist
1909: Herbert Henry Asquith: Protectionist-Liberal
1913: David Lloyd-George: Liberal
1918: David Lloyd-George: Liberal/Protectionist Alliance
1920: David Lloyd-George: Empire Liberal Party [2]
1921: Billy Hughes: Conservative-Nationalist

[MrMittens]

1905: Joseph Chamberlain: Protectionist
1909: Herbert Henry Asquith: Protectionist-Liberal
1913: David Lloyd-George: Liberal
1918: David Lloyd-George: Liberal/Protectionist Alliance [1]
1920: David Lloyd-George: Empire Liberal Party [2]
1921: Billy Hughes: Conservative-Nationalist
1925: Billy Hughes: Conservative-Nationalist Coalition [3]

[1] Alliance Formed 1915
[2] Following a major disagreement over the roles of the home nations and other dominions, the Protectionist Party leaves the alliance and focuses exclusively on the British Isles. The Liberal Party wins large margins throughout the remainder of the empire, proposing absolute free trade between member states and heavy protectionism regarding non-members. They also support the idea of the British West Indies, Bermuda, and British Honduras entering as one state, the policy that caused the Protectionists to split. Following the 1920 election, the Liberals govern in minority, with loose support from both the British Protectionist Party and the United Britain and Empire Labour Parties, and hold a referendum in Newfoundland and Labrador about the future status of the territory.
[3] The Conservative-Nationalist Coalition (made up of state Conservative parties of Australia, Canada and New Zealand, along with Protectionist defectors from Britain, and the South Africa Party or Nationalists) works surprisingly well, and Hughes wins a thumping second majority

[Hatman 🍁]

1905: Joseph Chamberlain: Protectionist
1909: Herbert Henry Asquith: Protectionist-Liberal
1913: David Lloyd-George: Liberal
1918: David Lloyd-George: Liberal/Protectionist Alliance [1]
1920: David Lloyd-George: Empire Liberal Party [2]
1921: Billy Hughes: Conservative-Nationalist
1925: Billy Hughes: Conservative-Nationalist Coalition [3]
1929: Ramsay MacDonald, Labour

[1] Alliance Formed 1915
[2] Following a major disagreement over the roles of the home nations and other dominions, the Protectionist Party leaves the alliance and focuses exclusively on the British Isles. The Liberal Party wins large margins throughout the remainder of the empire, proposing absolute free trade between member states and heavy protectionism regarding non-members. They also support the idea of the British West Indies, Bermuda, and British Honduras entering as one state, the policy that caused the Protectionists to split. Following the 1920 election, the Liberals govern in minority, with loose support from both the British Protectionist Party and the United Britain and Empire Labour Parties, and hold a referendum in Newfoundland and Labrador about the future status of the territory.
[3] The Conservative-Nationalist Coalition (made up of state Conservative parties of Australia, Canada and New Zealand, along with Protectionist defectors from Britain, and the South Africa Party or Nationalists) works surprisingly well, and Hughes wins a thumping second majority

[MrMittens]

I'll do a list of PM's. After this, please note in posts whether there have been any changes of PM during a government

1. Joseph Chamberlain: Protectionist: 1905-1908
2. Arthur Balfour: Protectionist: 1908-1909
3. Herbert Asquith: Liberal: 1909-1912
4. David Lloyd-George: Liberal/Empire Liberal Party: 1912-1921
5. Billy Hughes: Conservative: 1921-1927
6. Winston Churchill: Conservative: 1927-1929
7. Ramsay McDonald: Labour: 1929-

[Platypus]

In 1933, Labour head to the polls fully expecting to do well in the wake of the Great Depression, and certainly they do perform strongly in urban areas, but a massive vote for the Empire Liberals in rural areas along with growing votes for Nationalist parties, particularly in Ireland, denies Labour majority government. The Conservative vote continues to collapse, particularly in the Antipodes and Northern Britain. A loose coalition is formed between the Empire Liberals and their former enemies in the Conservative and Nationalist Pact parties.

Election result:

Labour Movement: 42% of seats
Empire Liberal Party: 21% of seats
British Empire Conservatives: 15% of seats
Protectionist Party Britain: 5% of seats (Nationalist Pact Member)
Irishman's Party: 4%
Canada Party: 4% (Nationalist Pact Member)
Irish Freedom Party: 3% (Nationalist Pact Member)
United Australia Alliance: 3% (Nationalist Pact Member)
New Zealand Party (Dominionist): 1% (Nationalist Pact Member)
New Zealand Party (Empirist): 1%
Unaligned members: 1%

The Nationalist Pact members insist that a non-European is selected as leader, and the Empire Liberals are happy to agree. The Conservatives voice is widely regarded as unimportant considering their significant losses even upon those of their 1929 defeat, and so Empire Liberal William Mackenzie King of Canada is elected Prime Minister.

[Yelnoc]

The fractious coalition survives until 1937, when the Conservatives leave following Empire Liberals and Nationalist agreement on a referendum in each nation on whether to remain in the United Commonwealth, and the same right extending to the greater Caribbean. In the election that ensues, the primary issue is whether or not to allow for the referendums, and the voters decide to get the rumblings over once and for all.

Labour 36%
Empire Liberal 25%
Conservative 18%
Nationalist Pact members 17%
others 4%

Following a few weeks of talks, the largest coalition that could be made was between the Empire Liberals and the Nationalist pact members, and all parties agreed that they would govern for 18 months whilst the referendums were held.

Mackenzie King maintained the Prime Ministership.

[Platypus]

As referendum day approaches, it seems the only nation at risk of leaving is the United Kingdom itself. The decision is taken to allow Ireland, Scotland, the Islae of Man, and England+Wales to vote separately. The Welsh weren't particularly happy with this, but anyhoo. Cyprus, Malta, and the British Caribbean all have votes to become non-Dominion integrated territories.

In late 1938, the referendums are held, with the following results:

New Zealand
Independence: 15%
Dominion: 38%
Union: 47%

Australia
Independence: 11%
Dominion: 27%
Union: 62%

England and Wales
Independence: 9%
Dominion: -
Union: 91%

Scotland:
Independence: 13%
Dominion: 10%
Union: 77%

Isle of Man:
Independence: 16%
Dominion: 21%
Union: 63%

Ireland:
Independence: 48%
Dominion: 9%
Union: 43%

South Africa:
Independence: 42%
Dominion: 5%
Union: 53%

Canada:
Independence: 19%
Dominion: 13%
Union: 68%

---------

Cyprus
Integration: 36%
Self-governance: 64%

Malta
Integration: 52%
Self-governance: 48%

British Atlantic and American Territories (Bermuda, British Caribbean, British Honduras, Falkland Islands, South Georgia, Tristan da Cunha, St Helena, and others?):
Integration: 61%
Self-governance: 39%

A plebiscite was also held to determine people's views on the question of overall integration.

Status Quo Empire Rule: 40%
Federal Commonwealth of Nations: 41%
Dissolution: 19%

Following these results, the Empire Liberal Party and the Labour Movement ran in the 1939 election on a platform of peacefully allowing Ireland to leave the United Commonwealth, with the Labourites even going so far as to allow for it to become a republic through peaceful means. The Conservatives strongly opposed Irish independence, saying that the result was invalid as a majority of Irishmen had voted to retain the queen and too large a group would be disenfranchised by an Irish republic, particularly in Ulster and Meath.

Growing rumblings in Europe also played a part, but ultimately when voters were asked what they wanted from their nation, they split very evenly:

Labour 32%
Empire Liberal 26%
Conservative 23%
Nationalist Pact 14%
others 5%

No majority government was readily formed, and as coalition talks stretched into their second month, the rumblings in Europe became even more concerning. The Empire Liberals and Labour parties eventually formed a coalition, after Irish, Australian, and New Zealander Labourites sided with MacKenzie King in an agreement that the counties of Ireland would vote individually on associating themselves with an Irish Republic, or an Irish separate membership in the United Commonwealth, removed from Great Britain, and remaining Labour Movement members followed.

[Platypus]

1. Joseph Chamberlain: Protectionist: 1905-1908
2. Arthur Balfour: Protectionist: 1908-1909
3. Herbert Asquith: Liberal: 1909-1912
4. David Lloyd-George: Liberal/Empire Liberal Party: 1912-1921
5. Billy Hughes: Conservative: 1921-1927
6. Winston Churchill: Conservative: 1927-1929
7. Ramsay McDonald: Labour: 1929-1933
8. Mackenzie King: Empire Liberal Party (with various coalitions): 1933-194?

[Hatman 🍁]

King's coalition falls apart on the onset of World War 2. England's Winston Churchill leads the Tories to a strong minority in the 1940 elections, and forms a super majority coalition with the nationalists.  (~70% of seats). Liberals get 12% and Labour gets pummeled at 15%

Results by nation:

South Africa: Nationalist
Ireland: Nationalist
UK: Conservative
Canada: Empire Liberal
Australia: Conservative
NZ: Labour

[Platypus]

As the war continues, Nazi-supported agitants for separation in both South Africa and Ireland become a significant problem. The issue of conscription is also hugely controvertial, with Australia and New Zealand dominion governments refusing to implement the policy, along with those in parts of South Africa.

The Nationalist Pact says it is only prepared to continue supporting Churchill's prime ministership if Conscription is immediately withdrawn, and the referendum set up for Ireland before the outbreak of war goes ahead. Churchill aquiesces, and in October 1941, all five counties of Ireland vote to form an independent Irish dominion in the United Commonwealth, to the shock of most observers. 'Britain is now a place of two nations, but two nations joined in harmony,' Churchill said, 'and together Great Britain and Ireland will form as lock and chain against the Axis threat to the peoples of our United Commonwealth'.

The United States enters the war shortly afterwards, as a new grand coalition formed by leaders of all parties takes control of the war response, with Churchill at the helm, after a near-unanimous agreement was reached that there would be no Empire election until both the Pacific and European enemies had been crushed.

[Platypus]

Ooc: the movement I'm kind of heading in post-war will be the nationalists slowly dying off, as the split becomes more pronounced as Labour vs Conservatives in Britain, although the Empire Liberals will still very much be around, and ultimately become the primary advocates of true federalism and the inclusion of non-white member states, with Labour supportive of the first but strongly opposed to the second, and the Conservatives strongly opposed of the first and neutral of the second. Obviously, if people wish this to go in another direction, please do so, but make your narrative compelling enough that I would find it difficult to override it

As it stands, the Empire is ruled from London with loosely impotent elected dominion governments in New Zealand, Australia, Canada, Ireland and South Africa, and nearly completely impotent governments in the Canadian provinces, Irish counties, British home nations, Australian states, both islands of NZ, the South African provinces, and the integrated territories like Malta, but the only ones of these with any real importance are those in South Africa, who often act in direct defiance of the Empire government.

I should also clarify my take on the Irish situation: under the United Commonwealth, Ireland wasn't treated as badly as in actual history, so the republic movement was both slower and weaker. The referendum result was in direct response to the disgust more moderate Irish voters had in republican rebels links with the nazis, and I suspect Irish sentiment going forward to only get more enthusiastic about the union.

[Vote UKIP!]

1. Joseph Chamberlain: Protectionist: 1905-1908
2. Arthur Balfour: Protectionist: 1908-1909
3. Herbert Asquith: Liberal: 1909-1912
4. David Lloyd-George: Liberal/Empire Liberal Party: 1912-1921
5. Billy Hughes: Conservative: 1921-1927
6. Winston Churchill: Conservative: 1927-1929
7. Ramsay McDonald: Labour: 1929-1933
8. Mackenzie King: Empire Liberal Party (with various coalitions): 1933-1940
9. Winston Churchill: Conservative (with a grand coalition): 1940-194?

[MrMittens]

Election 1945

Winston Churchill: Conservative: 47% of seats: 41.8% of vote
Ben Chifley: Labour: 31% of seats: 30.8% of the vote
Mackenzie King: Empire Liberal Party: 14% of the seats: 17.5% of the vote
D.F. Malan/Eamon De Valera: Nationalist Pact: 7% of the seats: 5.1% of the vote

Churchill narrowly fails to get a majority, and forms a new coalition with the Nationalist Pact. The Empire Liberals continue their precipitous decline.

[Hatman 🍁]

Government collapses in 1947.

The new election creates a havoc, with no party claiming anywhere close to a majority

Election:
South Africa: Nationalist Party
Ireland: Liberals
UK: Labour
Canada: Liberals
Australia: Conservatives
New Zealand: Nationalist

Seat totals
Labour: 33% (leader: Clement Attlee)
Liberals: 29% (leader: Louis St-Laurent)
Conservatives: 21% (leader: Winston Churchill)
Nationalist: 15% (leader DF Malan)

The King asks new Labour leader Clement Attlee to attempt to form government


1. Joseph Chamberlain: Protectionist: 1905-1908
2. Arthur Balfour: Protectionist: 1908-1909
3. Herbert Asquith: Liberal: 1909-1912
4. David Lloyd-George: Liberal/Empire Liberal Party: 1912-1921
5. Billy Hughes: Conservative: 1921-1927
6. Winston Churchill: Conservative: 1927-1929
7. Ramsay McDonald: Labour: 1929-1933
8. Mackenzie King: Empire Liberal Party (with various coalitions): 1933-1940
9. Winston Churchill: Conservative (with a grand coalition): 1940-1947
10. Clement Attlee: Labour: 1947-

[Platypus]

The Labour party struggle to make a coalition, but no other party manages to either. Labour govern in minority, but do manage to get one major reform through with support of the Empire Liberals and all but the British member parties of ther nationalist Pact - the House of Lords will be dismantled and a House of Nations will take its place. The members will still be appointed for life, but will be chosen by the King in a roughly population-proportional way and should be politically representative. There is no major effect of this, as it has few powers the house of Lords did not have.

In 1950, Labour goes to the electorate asking them to support a new Empire-wide governmental healthcare system, which is widely supported but has vehement opponents on the right. Sensing it may be a chance to win an outright majority, Attlee calls an election.

Labour performs very strongly across all nations, losing only England and Wales to the Conservatives, and Canada to the Empire Liberals. They even manage to break the Nationalist plurality in South Africa.

Seat totals:
Labour 46%
Conservatives: 20%
Empire Liberals: 19%
Nationalist Pact: 13%
others: 2%

Labour is again elected as a minority government, but finds the road to legislative victory far easier, as they only need the support of one of the other two major parties, or only one or two of the Nationalist Pact parties, to pass their platform.

1. Joseph Chamberlain: Protectionist: 1905-1908
2. Arthur Balfour: Protectionist: 1908-1909
3. Herbert Asquith: Liberal: 1909-1912
4. David Lloyd-George: Liberal/Empire Liberal Party: 1912-1921
5. Billy Hughes: Conservative: 1921-1927
6. Winston Churchill: Conservative: 1927-1929
7. Ramsay McDonald: Labour: 1929-1933
8. Mackenzie King: Empire Liberal Party (with various coalitions): 1933-1940
9. Winston Churchill: Conservative (with a grand coalition): 1940-1947
10. Clement Attlee: Labour: 1947-195?

[Hatman 🍁]

The coalition falls in 1952, and the British Empire heads to the polls once again...

The Health Care reforms proved to be very unpopular as doctors across the Empire went on strike, leading to many deaths. Many citizens were opposed to the abolishment of the house of lords as well.

Labour did terrible, not winning a single constituent nation:

Results (leading party)
South Africa: Nationalist
Ireland: Liberals
UK: Conservative
Canada: Liberals
Australia: Conservative
NZ: Conservative

The Conservatives end up winning a majority with new leader Robert Menzies.

1. Joseph Chamberlain: Protectionist: 1905-1908
2. Arthur Balfour: Protectionist: 1908-1909
3. Herbert Asquith: Liberal: 1909-1912
4. David Lloyd-George: Liberal/Empire Liberal Party: 1912-1921
5. Billy Hughes: Conservative: 1921-1927
6. Winston Churchill: Conservative: 1927-1929
7. Ramsay McDonald: Labour: 1929-1933
8. Mackenzie King: Empire Liberal Party (with various coalitions): 1933-1940
9. Winston Churchill: Conservative (with a grand coalition): 1940-1947
10. Clement Attlee: Labour: 1947-1952
11.Robert Menzies: Conservative 1952-

[Platypus]

Tensions within the Empire start rising again, as colonies throughout Africa and Asia start demanding equal inclusion, or full independence. The Conservative government wants to hear none of it, whilst the Empire Liberals are supportive of including these nations, and the Labour party in favour of releasing them. Internally, the Conservative government is popular, but the changing situation outside the member nations and the advance of communism into some of them has everyone a bit concerned. The Conservatives have proved unable to calm the situation, but did succeed in reforming the House of Nations to exclude the 'politically representative' requirement. As the Prime Minister's home town of Melbourne celebrates their Olympic honeymoon the government goes to the polls at the end of 1956.

The Conservatives win strongly in England and Wales, and also win pluralities in Australia, New Zealand, and South Africa, where the Nationalist Party vote has collapsed. Labour performs more strongly than they did in 1952, winning Ireland, Malta, and Scotland. The Empire Liberals win only Canada, always their strongest nation, but gain slightly in their total representation in parliament, with particularly improved showings in New Zealand and Ireland.

Conservatives 44% of seats
Labour 25% of seats
Empire Liberals 20% of seats
Nationalist Pact 8% of seats
others 1% of seats

The Conservatives and Nationalists are unable to find agreement, as the latter group supports colonial independence movements but is strongly opposed the inclusion of further states, forcing the Conservatives to approach the Empire Liberals. They agree to support Menzies and the Conservatives to continue governing, on the condition that non-dominion parts of the Empire are included completely in the tariff-free zone, which the Conservatives are eventually able to support.

1. Joseph Chamberlain: Protectionist: 1905-1908
2. Arthur Balfour: Protectionist: 1908-1909
3. Herbert Asquith: Liberal: 1909-1912
4. David Lloyd-George: Liberal/Empire Liberal Party: 1912-1921
5. Billy Hughes: Conservative: 1921-1927
6. Winston Churchill: Conservative: 1927-1929
7. Ramsay McDonald: Labour: 1929-1933
8. Mackenzie King: Empire Liberal Party (with various coalitions): 1933-1940
9. Winston Churchill: Conservative (with a grand coalition): 1940-1947
10. Clement Attlee: Labour: 1947-1952
11.Robert Menzies: Conservative 1952-1956+

[Hatman 🍁]

1958 - the coalition collapses

By now, while South Africans occasionally sent Conservatives to the Commonwealth Parliament, the country continued to be a one party state in domestic affairs, and continued to implement strict Apartheid measures. Blacks and other minorities could technically vote in commonwealth elections, but were increasingly threatened if they tried to, and by now it was illegal for them to vote in domestic elections.

In the 1958 election, the Nationalist bloc once again wins South Africa on a mandate to call a referendum within two years about continuing to be part of the Commonwealth.

The Tories win the UK; Liberals win in Ireland but for the first time in a long time, the Tories pick up Canada. The Empire Liberals dropped Louis St-Laurent as leader in favour of Eamon de Valera, which alienated some Canadians, especially Protestants. The Tories also win Australia, but drop New Zealand.

Menzies leads his Tories to another majority government, and does not need nor wants to form a coalition with the increasingly racist Nationalist rump mostly from South Africa.

Following their defeat, Labour selects Walter Nash as their leader.

Results

Conservatives: 55% of seats
Labour: 20%
Liberals: 14%
Nationalist Pact: 10%

[Platypus]

The government continues to find popular support in the member nations, but the situation with the Empire has become so bad that even the Conservatives concede that something must be done. With support of the Empire Liberals, and against strong opposition from Labour, the Nationalist Bloc, and members of their own backbenches, Menzies and his cabinet propose that all areas will host a referendum with two options: Inclusion as entirely equal in laws and governance, but without Commonwealth parliament representation, members of the United Commonwealth; or independence. The Empire Liberals are not thrilled by the deal, believing that it won't be a long-term solution, but even a short-term solution is a good move when the independentist bombings are growing more and more frequent, not only in the colonies, but also in cities in the dominions. A major blast by Malayan communists in Singapore, destroying the Selarang Barracks and killing 80 soldiers, along with 6 civilians.

The 'current' colonies:

Africa

Basutoland (Lesotho)
Bechuanaland (Botswana)
British Cameroons (Northwestern border of Cameroon, determined to be part of Nigeria in future considerations, real world split between Nigeria and Cameroon)
British Somaliland (Somaliland)
The Gambia River Colony (The Gambia)
Gold Coast (Ghana)
Kenya
Namibia
Nigeria
Rhodesia - Nyasaland (Malawi, Zambia, and Zimbabwe)
Sierra Leone
Swaziland
Tanganyika
Uganda

Despite strong South African disagreement, Southwest Africa (Namaibia) will also have a vote.

Europe

At present, Cyprus, Gibraltar, and the near-islands are already incorporated without representation, whilst Ireland, Scotland, England and Wales, and Malta are full dominions. As such, no referendums need to be held, but Cypriot independentists ask for inclusion in the referendum, which is granted.

Asia

British Palestine (Israel, Palestine)
Brunei
Burma
Gulf protectorates (Bahrain, Kuwait, Qatar, most of the UAE)
Hong Kong and Kowloon
Indian Empire (Pakistan, India, Bangladesh)
Malaya and the Straits Settlements (Peninsula Malaysia, Singapore)
North Borneo and Sarawak (Borneo Malaysia)
South Arabia (Yemen)

Americas

Bermuda
British Antarctic Territories (all those islands down at the bottom of the world and the British, Kiwi, and Aussie claims to Antarctica)
British South Atlantic Territories (South Georgia through to St Helena and all the other islands in between)
Commonwealth Caribbean ( all the British territories in the Caribbean, including Belize)
Guiana (Guyana)

Pacific

Commonwealth Pacific (all the British, Australian, and Kiwi territories in the Pacific in a very similar arrangement as the Commonwealth Caribbean, although somewhat less successfully)
Papua-New Guinea (Papua New Guinea)

As the vote is held, South African Nationalists say that if the black Africans are included in the United Commonwealth, they will use any means to separate themselves. Other Nationalist Pact member parties are not so extreme, but do agree that any further inclusion is cause for their home dominions to separate. The Labour party strongly supports all the colonies voting for full independence, whilst the Empire Liberals support inclusion. The Conservatives grumpily come down in favour of inclusion, but Menzies has spent a lot of political capital wrangling enough support within his own party for the votes to go ahead.