); ▁but ▁by ▁the ▁end ▁of ▁the ▁evening ▁Labour ▁had ▁won ▁ 4 0 . 7 % ▁of ▁the ▁vote ▁to ▁National ' s ▁ 3 9 . 6 %. ▁Following ▁the ▁counting ▁of ▁the ▁special ▁votes ▁the ▁gap ▁w iden ed , ▁with ▁Labour ▁taking ▁ 4 1 . 1 % ▁of ▁the ▁vote ▁to ▁National ' s ▁ 3 9 . 1 %. ▁Dr ▁Br ash ▁conced ed ▁defeat ▁on ▁ 1 ▁October ▁after ▁weeks ▁of ▁elect oral ▁uncertainty ▁while ▁the ▁major ▁parties ▁sought ▁to ▁secure ▁the ▁support ▁of ▁minor ▁coal ition ▁partners . ▁His ▁only ▁real istic ▁scenario ▁for ▁becoming ▁prime ▁minister ▁would ▁have ▁involved ▁a ▁coal ition ▁between ▁National , ▁A CT ▁and ▁United ▁Future , ▁with ▁confidence ▁and ▁supply ▁from ▁New ▁Zealand ▁First ▁and ▁the ▁M ā ori ▁Party . ▁This ▁appeared ▁highly ▁unlikely ▁on ▁several ▁counts . ▁New ▁Zealand ▁First ' s ▁invol vement ▁in ▁such ▁a ▁coal ition ▁would ▁have ▁run ▁counter ▁to ▁its ▁pre - e lection ▁promise ▁to ▁deal ▁with ▁the ▁biggest ▁party . ▁The ▁M ā ori ▁Party ' s ▁supp or ters ▁over wh el ming ly ▁gave ▁their ▁party - v otes ▁to ▁Labour , ▁and ▁National ▁had ▁indicated ▁it ▁would ▁abol ish ▁the ▁Ma ori ▁seats ▁if ▁it ▁won ▁power . ▁ ▁Ess entially ▁National ▁had ▁failed ▁to ▁make ▁up ▁enough ▁ground ▁in ▁the ▁cities ▁but ▁swe pt ▁the ▁elect oral ▁votes ▁in ▁the ▁provinces , ▁cla wing ▁back ▁a ▁number ▁of ▁seats ▁from ▁Labour ▁and ▁defe ating ▁New ▁Zealand