The combined Liberal and Progressive caucuses gave Mackenzie King a plurality of seats in the House of Commons, and the ability to form a minority government.

The agreement collapsed, however, after a scandal, and King approached the governor general of Canada, Baron Byng of Vimy, to seek dissolution of the Parliament.

Byng refused on the basis that the Conservatives had won the most seats in the prior election and so he called upon Meighen to form a government.

King effectively campaigned against Byng, instead of against Meighen, in the election and won the most seats in the House of Commons although his party received fewer votes than the Conservatives.

Byng returned to Britain at the end of the year and was raised to the rank of viscount as an expression of confidence in him.