▁early ▁war ▁st igma ▁as ▁a ▁result . ▁ ▁At ▁the ▁general ▁election ▁in ▁September ▁ 1 9 4 0 , ▁there ▁was ▁a ▁large ▁swing ▁to ▁Labor ▁and ▁the ▁U AP - Country ▁Party ▁coal ition ▁lost ▁its ▁majority , ▁continu ing ▁in ▁office ▁only ▁because ▁of ▁the ▁support ▁of ▁two ▁independent ▁MP s , ▁Arthur ▁Col es ▁and ▁Alexander ▁Wilson . ▁The ▁U AP – Country ▁Party ▁coal ition ▁and ▁the ▁Labor ▁parties ▁won ▁ 3 6 ▁seats ▁each . ▁M enz ies ▁proposed ▁an ▁all ▁party ▁unity ▁government ▁to ▁break ▁the ▁imp asse , ▁but ▁the ▁Labor ▁Party ▁under ▁John ▁Curt in ▁refused ▁to ▁join . ▁Curt in ▁agreed ▁instead ▁to ▁take ▁a ▁seat ▁on ▁a ▁newly ▁created ▁Ad vis ory ▁War ▁Council ▁in ▁October ▁ 1 9 4 0 . ▁New ▁Country ▁Party ▁leader ▁Arthur ▁F ad den ▁became ▁Tre as urer ▁and ▁M enz ies ▁unh app ily ▁conced ed ▁to ▁allow ▁Ear le ▁Page ▁back ▁into ▁his ▁min istry . ▁ ▁In ▁January ▁ 1 9 4 1 , ▁M enz ies ▁fle w ▁to ▁Britain ▁to ▁discuss ▁the ▁weak ness ▁of ▁Singapore ' s ▁def ences ▁and ▁sat ▁with ▁W inst on ▁Church ill ' s ▁British ▁War ▁Cab inet . ▁En ▁route ▁he ▁ins pected ▁Singapore ' s ▁def ences   – ▁finding ▁them ▁alarm ingly ▁in ade qu ate   – ▁and ▁visited ▁Australian ▁troops ▁in ▁the ▁Mid - E ast . ▁He ▁at ▁times ▁cl ashed ▁with ▁Church ill ▁in ▁the ▁War ▁Cab