Barwell lost the 1924 election to the John Gunn led Labor Party and, after briefly acting as Opposition Leader, resigned from state parliament, seeking a seat in the Australian House of Representatives with a view to becoming Prime Minister.
bˈɑːɹwɛl lˈɔst ðə nˈaɪntiːnhˈʌndɹɪd twˈɛnti fˈoːɹ ᵻlˈɛkʃən tə ðə dʒˈɑːn ɡˈʌn lˈɛd lˈeɪbɚ pˈɑːɹɾi ænd, ˈæftɚ bɹˈiːfli ˈæktɪŋ æz ˌɑːpəzˈɪʃən lˈiːdɚ, ɹɪzˈaɪnd fɹʌm stˈeɪt pˈɑːɹləmənt, sˈiːkɪŋ ɐ sˈiːt ɪnðɪ ɔːstɹˈeɪliən hˈaʊs ʌv ɹˌɛpɹᵻzˈɛntətˌɪvz wɪð ɐ vjˈuː tə bᵻkˈʌmɪŋ pɹˈaɪm mˈɪnɪstɚ.