Gerard Batten vs James Scullin

Batten was elected as a Member of the European Parliament for London in 2004, serving until 2019. He was known for his eurosceptic views and opposition to the Lisbon Treaty, and was a vocal critic of the European Union.

Gerard Batten was elected leader of UKIP, succeeding Henry Bolton. His leadership marked a shift toward a more hardline anti-Islam stance, which led to internal splits and the departure of several senior party figures.

Batten appointed far-right activist Tommy Robinson as an advisor to UKIP, a move that was widely condemned and led to further internal party conflict. The decision was seen as an attempt to appeal to anti-Islam voters but alienated moderate members.

Batten resigned as UKIP leader after a poor performance in the 2019 European Parliament elections, where UKIP lost all its seats. His tenure was marked by declining party membership and electoral collapse.

James Scullin became Prime Minister of Australia on October 22, 1929, leading a Labor government just days after the Wall Street Crash. His government faced the onset of the Great Depression, with rising unemployment and economic contraction, and struggled to implement effective policies.

Scullin's government appointed Sir Isaac Isaacs as the first Australian-born Governor-General of Australia in 1930, over the objections of King George V. This act asserted Australian autonomy in constitutional matters and was a significant step in the evolution of Australian sovereignty.

Scullin's government adopted the Premiers' Plan in June 1931, a set of austerity measures agreed with state premiers to combat the Depression. The plan included cuts to government spending, wage reductions, and increased taxes, which were deeply unpopular within the Labor Party and led to splits.

Scullin's government was weakened by a split in the Labor Party, with the formation of the Lang Labor faction led by New South Wales Premier Jack Lang. This division, along with defections to the new United Australia Party, led to the collapse of Scullin's government in late 1931.

Scullin's Labor government was decisively defeated in the December 1931 federal election by the United Australia Party under Joseph Lyons. The election marked the end of Labor's term, with the party reduced to a small minority in parliament.