The Right Honourable  James Callaghan  The Lord Callaghan of Cardiff, KG, PC
Prime Minister of the United Kingdom
In office 5 April 1976 – 4 May 1979
Monarch	Elizabeth II
Preceded by	Harold Wilson
Succeeded by	Margaret Thatcher
Foreign Secretary
In office 5 March 1974 – 5 April 1976
Prime Minister	Harold Wilson
Preceded by	Alec Douglas-Home
Succeeded by	Anthony Crosland
Home Secretary
In office 30 November 1967 – 19 June 1970
Prime Minister	Harold Wilson
Preceded by	Roy Jenkins
Succeeded by	Reginald Maudling
Chancellor of the Exchequer
In office 16 October 1964 – 30 November 1967
Prime Minister	Harold Wilson
Preceded by	Reginald Maudling
Succeeded by	Roy Jenkins
Leader of the Opposition
In office 4 May 1979 – 10 November 1980
Prime Minister	Margaret Thatcher
Preceded by	Margaret Thatcher
Succeeded by	Michael Foot
Born	27 March 1912(1912-03-27) Portsmouth, England
Died	26 March 2005 (aged 92) Ringmer, East Sussex, England
Political party	Labour
Spouse	Audrey Callaghan
Profession	Union Offical
Religion	Baptist

Leonard James Callaghan, Baron Callaghan of Cardiff, KG, PC (27 March 1912 – 26 March 2005), was Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 1976 to 1979. The Most Noble Order of the Garter is an Order of chivalry, or Knighthood, originating in Medieval England, and presently bestowed on recipients Her Majesty's Most Honourable Privy Council is a body of advisors to the British Sovereign. Events 196 BC - Ptolemy V ascends to the throne of Egypt. 1309 - Pope Clement V excommunicates Year 1912 ( MCMXII) was a Leap year starting on Monday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Leap year starting Events 1026 - Pope John XIX crowns Conrad II as Holy Roman Emperor. Year 2005 ( MMV) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link displays full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. The Prime Minister of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is the political leader of the United Kingdom Known as Jim for short (and nicknamed 'Sunny Jim' or 'Big Jim'), Callaghan is the only person to have served in all four of the Great Offices of State: Prime Minister, Chancellor of the Exchequer, Home Secretary and Foreign Secretary. A nickname is a Name of an entity or thing that is not its Proper name. The Great Offices of State in the United Kingdom are the four most senior and prestigious posts in the British parliamentary system of government The Prime Minister of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is the political leader of the United Kingdom The Chancellor of the Exchequer is the title held by the British Cabinet minister who is responsible for all Economic and Financial The Secretary of State for the Home Department, commonly known as the Home Secretary, is the minister in charge of the United Kingdom Home Office The Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, commonly referred to as the Foreign Secretary, is a member of the United Kingdom Government heading the

Callaghan was Chancellor of the Exchequer from 1964 to 1967 during a turbulent period in the British economy in which he had to wrestle with a balance of payments deficit and speculative attacks on the pound sterling. The Chancellor of the Exchequer is the title held by the British Cabinet minister who is responsible for all Economic and Financial A speculative attack is the massive selling of a country's currency assets by both domestic and foreign investors The Pound Sterling ( symbol £; ISO code: GBP) subdivided into 100 pence (singular penny) is the Currency In November 1967, the Government was forced to devalue the pound sterling despite having denied he would do this publicly including to the House of Commons. The Pound Sterling ( symbol £; ISO code: GBP) subdivided into 100 pence (singular penny) is the Currency The House of Commons' is the Lower house of the Parliament of the United Kingdom, which also comprises the Sovereign and the House of Lords Callaghan offered to resign, but was persuaded to swap his ministerial post with Roy Jenkins, becoming Home Secretary from 1967 to 1970. Roy Harris Jenkins Baron Jenkins of Hillhead OM PC ( 11 November 1920 &ndash 5 January 2003) was a British The Secretary of State for the Home Department, commonly known as the Home Secretary, is the minister in charge of the United Kingdom Home Office In that capacity, Callaghan took the decision to deploy the British Army in Northern Ireland, after a request from the Northern Ireland Government. The British Army is the land armed forces branch of the British Armed Forces. Northern Ireland (Tuaisceart Éireann Ulster Scots: Norlin Airlann) is a Country within the United Kingdom, lying in the northeast of

The Labour party lost the general election in 1970, but Callaghan returned to office as Foreign Secretary in March 1974, taking responsibility for renegotiating the terms of Britain's membership of the European Economic Community (the EEC, or "Common Market"), and supporting a 'Yes' vote in the 1975 referendum for the UK to remain in the EEC. Opinion poll summary ORC (Opinion Research Council Conservative lead of 1%Harris (Express Newspapers Labour lead of 2%NOP The Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, commonly referred to as the Foreign Secretary, is a member of the United Kingdom Government heading the The European Community (EC is one of the Three pillars of the European Union (EU created under the Maastricht Treaty (1992 When Harold Wilson resigned in 1976, Callaghan was elected the new Labour leader. James Harold Wilson Baron Wilson of Rievaulx, KG, OBE, FRS, PC (11 March 1916 &ndash 24 May 1995 was one of the most prominent British politicians

Labour had already lost its majority in the House of Commons when he became Prime Minister and lost further seats at by-elections and through defections, forcing Callaghan to deal with minor parties such as the Liberal Party especially in the Lib-Lab pact from 1977 to 1978, the Ulster Unionists, Scottish National Party and even Independents. The Liberal Party was one of the two major British political parties from the early 19th century until the rise of the Labour Party in the 1920s and a third party The Lib-Lab pact has been a working arrangement between the UK 's political parties of the Liberals (later Liberal Democrats) and the Labour Party The Ulster Unionist Party ( UUP, sometimes referred to as the Official Unionist Party or OUP or in a historic sense simply the Unionist Party The Scottish National Party (SNP (Pàrtaidh Nàiseanta na h-Alba Scottis Naitional Pairtie is a Centre-left political party which campaigns for Scottish Industrial disputes, widespread strikes and high unemployment in the "Winter of Discontent" of 1978–79, made Callaghan's government unpopular and the defeat of the referendum on devolution for Scotland led to the passage of a motion of no confidence on 28 March 1979. The "Winter of Discontent" is a term used to describe the British Winter of 1978 &ndash 1979, during which there were widespread A referendum (plural referendums or referenda) ballot question, or plebiscite (from Latin plebiscita Devolution is the statutory granting of powers from the central government of a State to government at subnational level Scotland ( Gaelic: Alba) is a Country in northwest Europethat occupies the northern third of the island of Great Britain. A motion of no confidence (also vote of no confidence, censure motion, no-confidence motion, or confidence motion) is a Parliamentary motion Events 37 - Roman Emperor Caligula accepts the titles of the Principate, entitled to him by the Senate. Year 1979 ( MCMLXXIX) was a Common year starting on Monday (link displays the 1979 Gregorian calendar) This was followed by a defeat by Margaret Thatcher's Conservative Party in the ensuing general election. Margaret Hilda Thatcher Baroness Thatcher LG, OM, PC, FRS (born 13 October 1925 Background Callaghan had succeeded Harold Wilson as Labour Prime Minister after the latter's surprise resignation in April 1976

1912 to 1944: Early life and career

James Callaghan was born at 38 Funtington Road, Copnor, Portsmouth, England on the 27 March 1912. History See also History of Portsmouth There have been settlements in the area since before Roman times mostly being offshoots of Portchester, which England is a Country which is part of the United Kingdom. Its inhabitants account for more than 83% of the total UK population whilst its mainland Events 196 BC - Ptolemy V ascends to the throne of Egypt. 1309 - Pope Clement V excommunicates Year 1912 ( MCMXII) was a Leap year starting on Monday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Leap year starting He was named after his father. James Callaghan senior was^[1] a Royal Navy Chief Petty Officer of Roman Catholic Irish ancestry, who died when Callaghan was nine years old in 1921. The Royal Navy of the United Kingdom is the oldest of the British armed services (and is therefore known as the Senior Service) Chief Petty Officer is a non-commissioned officer or equivalent in many naval services and coast guards. Ireland (pronounced /ˈaɾlənd/ Éire) is the third largest island in Europe, and the twentieth-largest island in the world His mother was called Charlotte Callaghan née Cundy. He attended Portsmouth Northern Secondary School (now Mayfield School). History See also History of Portsmouth There have been settlements in the area since before Roman times mostly being offshoots of Portchester, which Mayfield School is a mixed Comprehensive school in Mayfield Road North End, Portsmouth. He gained the Senior Oxford Certificate in 1929 but could not afford entrance to university and instead sat the Civil Service Entrance Exam.

At the age of 17 Callaghan left to work as a clerk for the Inland Revenue. The Inland Revenue was until April 2005 a department of the British Government responsible for the collection of direct taxation, including While working as a Tax Inspector, Callaghan was instrumental in establishing the Association of Officers of Taxes as a Trade Union for those in his profession and became a member of its National Executive. A trade union or labour union is an organization of workers who have banded together to achieve common goals in key areas such as wages hours and working conditions forming Whilst at the Inland Revenue offices in Kent, in 1931 he joined the Maidstone branch of Labour Party. Maidstone is the County town of Kent, England, south-east of London. In 1934 he was transferred to Inland offices in London. London ( ˈlʌndən is the capital and largest urban area in the United Kingdom. Following a merger of unions in 1937, Callaghan was appointed as a full-time union official and to the post of Assistant Secretary of the Inland Revenue Staff Federation and resigned from his civil service duties. Year 1937 ( MCMXXXVII) was a Common year starting on Friday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar.

His union position at the Inland Revenue Federation brought Callaghan into contact with Harold Laski, the Chairman of the Labour Party's National Executive Committee and a respected academic at the London School of Economics. Harold Joseph Laski ( June 30, 1893 &ndash March 24, 1950) was an English Political theorist, Economist, Author The National Executive Committee or NEC is the chief administrative body of the UK Labour Party. The London School of Economics and Political Science, more commonly referred to as The London School of Economics or LSE, is a specialist college of the Laski encouraged him to stand for Parliament. Callaghan joined the Royal Navy Patrol Service in World War II from 1943, rising to the rank of Lieutenant. The Royal Navy of the United Kingdom is the oldest of the British armed services (and is therefore known as the Senior Service) World War II, or the Second World War, (often abbreviated WWII) was a global military conflict which involved a majority of the world's nations, including Year 1943 ( MCMXLIII) was a Common year starting on Friday (the link will display full 1943 calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Lieutenant (abbreviated Lt or Lieut) is a Military, Naval, Paramilitary, Fire service, Emergency medical services Whilst training for his promotion his medical examination revealed that he was suffering from tuberculosis and was admitted to the Royal Naval Hospital Haslar in Gosport near Portsmouth. Tuberculosis (abbreviated as TB for tubercle bacillus or T u' b' erculosis Bacillus --> is a common The Royal Hospital Haslar in Gosport, Hampshire, England, is one of several hospitals serving the Portsmouth Urban Area. History The Rowner area of the peninsula was known to have been settled in Saxon times mentioned in the Anglo Saxon Chronicles as Rughenor (Rough bank or slope History See also History of Portsmouth There have been settlements in the area since before Roman times mostly being offshoots of Portchester, which After he recovered he was discharged and assigned to duties with the Admiralty in Whitehall. The Admiralty was formerly the authority in the United Kingdom responsible for the command of the Royal Navy. Whitehall is a road in Westminster in London, England. It is the main artery running north from Parliament Square, towards traditional He was assigned to the Japanese section and wrote a service manual for the Royal Navy The Enemy Japan.

Whilst on leave, Callaghan was selected as a Parliamentary candidate for Cardiff South. Cardiff South was a Borough constituency in Cardiff, Wales. It returned one Member of Parliament to the House of Commons of the He narrowly won the local party ballot with 12 votes against the next highest candidate George Thomas with 11 votes. He was encouraged to put his name forward for the Cardiff South seat by his friend Dai Kneath, a member of the IRSF National executive from Swansea, who was in turn an associate and friend of the local Labour Party secretary Bill Headon. Swansea ( Abertawe "mouth of the Tawe " is a city and county in Wales. ^[2] During 1945 he was assigned to the Indian Fleet and served on HMS Elizabeth in the Indian Ocean. Twelve ships of the Royal Navy have borne the name HMS Elizabeth. After VE Day, along with other prospective candidates he returned to Great Britain to stand in the general election. Victory in Europe Day ( V-E Day or VE Day) was May 7 and May 8, 1945, the dates when the World War II Allies

1945 to 1976: Parliament and Cabinet

Labour won a landslide victory on 26 July 1945 bringing Clement Attlee to power. Events 657 - Battle of Siffin. 811 - Battle of Pliska; Byzantine Emperor Nicephorus Year 1945 ( MCMXLV) was a Common year starting on Monday (link will display the full calendar Clement Richard Attlee 1st Earl Attlee, KG, OM, CH, PC ( 3 January 1883 &ndash 8 October 1967 Callaghan won his Cardiff seat in the 1945 UK general election (and would hold a Cardiff-area seat continuously until 1987). Cardiff ( 'kɑːdɪf) is the Capital and the largest city and county in Wales. Results |} Total votes cast 24073025 All parties shown Conservative total includes Ulster Unionists Reason for Labour victory He won with a stunning 6,000 majority over the sitting Conservative incumbent candidate, Sir Arthur Evans, the two in total respectively polling 17,489 to 11,545 votes. The Conservative Party (officially the Conservative and Unionist Party) is a Political party in the United Kingdom. He campaigned on such issues as the rapid demobilisation of the armed forces and for a new housing construction programme. ^[3] At the time of his election, his son Michael was born.

Callaghan was soon appointed Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Transport in 1947 where, advised by the young chief constable of Hertfordshire Sir Arthur Young, his term saw important improvements in road safety, notably the introduction of zebra crossings, and an extension in the use of cat's eyes. Hertfordshire (ˈhɑːtfədʃə(r, abbreviated Herts) is a ceremonial and non-metropolitan county in the East region of Colonel Sir Arthur Edwin Young, KBE, CMG, CVO, KPM (15 February 1907 – 20 January 1979 was the Commissioner of the City of A zebra crossing is a type of Pedestrian crossing used in many places around the world He moved to be Parliamentary and Financial Secretary to the Admiralty from 1950 where he was a delegate to the Council of Europe and resisted plans for a European army. The Council of Europe (Conseil de l'Europe is the oldest International organisation working towards European integration, being founded in 1949

Callaghan was popular with Labour MPs and was elected to the Shadow Cabinet every year while the Labour Party was in opposition from 1951 to 1964. He was Parliamentary Adviser to the Police Federation from 1955 to 1960 when he negotiated an increase in police pay. He ran for the Deputy Leadership of the party in 1960 as an opponent of unilateral nuclear disarmament, and despite the other candidate of the Labour right (George Brown) agreeing with him on this policy, he forced Brown to a second vote. George Alfred George-Brown Baron George-Brown, PC (2 September 1914 &ndash 2 June 1985 was a British Politician who served as Deputy Leader of the In 1961 Callaghan became shadow chancellor. When Hugh Gaitskell died in January 1963, Callaghan ran to succeed him but came third. Hugh Todd Naylor Gaitskell ( 9 April 1906 &ndash 18 January 1963) was a British politician leader of the Labour Party from 1955 It was too early for Callaghan to win. However, he did gain the support of right-wingers, such as Denis Healey and Anthony Crosland, who wanted to prevent Wilson from being elected leader but who also didn't trust George Brown. Denis Winston Healey Baron Healey, CH, MBE, PC (born 30 August 1917 is a British Life peer and Labour politician Charles Anthony Raven Crosland (29 August 1918 - 19 February 1977 was a member of the Labour Party and an important socialist theorist

Chancellor of the Exchequer

In October 1964 Conservative Prime Minister Sir Alec Douglas-Home called a general election It was a tough election but Labour won a small majority gaining 56 seats (a total of 317 to the Conservatives 309). The Conservative Party (officially the Conservative and Unionist Party) is a Political party in the United Kingdom. Alexander Frederick Douglas-Home Baron Home of the Hirsel, KT, PC (2 July 1903 - 9 October 1995 14th Earl of Home from 1951 to 1963 was a British Campaign The pre-election campaign was prolonged as Douglas-Home delayed calling a general election in order to try to give himself the maximum time to improve the The new Labour government under Harold Wilson immediately faced economic problems and Wilson acted within his first hours to appoint Callaghan as Chancellor of the Exchequer. James Harold Wilson Baron Wilson of Rievaulx, KG, OBE, FRS, PC (11 March 1916 &ndash 24 May 1995 was one of the most prominent British politicians The Chancellor of the Exchequer is the title held by the British Cabinet minister who is responsible for all Economic and Financial The new government had to cope with a balance of payments deficit and speculative attacks on Sterling. It was the policy of the whole government, and one in which Callaghan concurred, that devaluation should be avoided for as long as possible and he managed to arrange loans from other central banks and some tax rises in order to stabilise the economy. Callaghan's time as chancellor was to be during a time of crisis; with high inflation, high unemployment and an unstable economy with a deficit in the budget, a deficit in the balance of import and exports and most importantly conflict over the value of the pound.

On 11 November Callaghan gave his first budget and announced increases in income tax, petrol tax and the introduction of a new Capital Gains Tax, actions which most economists deemed necessary to take the heat out of the balance and sterling deficit, though international bankers disagreed. ^[4]

Increasing difficulties with the economy were evident by late November when the surcharge of imports under the previous Conservative government were forcing the reserves to be depleted by as much as £50 million per day. On 23 November it was decided to increase the bank rate from 2% to 7% which generated a large amount of criticism. Handling the crisis was made more difficult by the attitude of Lord Cromer, the Governor of the Bank of England, who argued against the fiscal policies of the new Labour government. Lieutenant-Colonel George Rowland Stanley Baring 3rd Earl of Cromer, KG, GCMG, MBE ( 28 July 1918 &ndashMarch 1991 styled The Bank of England (formally the Governor and Company of the Bank of England) is a state-owned institution and the Central bank of the United Kingdom When Callaghan and Wilson threatened to call a new general election, the governor soon raised a £3 billion loan to stabilise the reserves and the deficit. ^[5] His second budget came on the 6 April 1965 in which he announced efforts to deflate the economy and reduce home import demand by £250 million. Events 46 BC - Julius Caesar defeats Caecilius Metellus Scipio and Marcus Porcius Cato in the Battle of Thapsus Year 1965 ( MCMLXV) was a Common year starting on Friday (link will display full calendar of the 1965 Gregorian calendar. Shortly after the bank rate was reduced from 7% down to 6%. For a brief time the economy and British financial market stabilised, allowing in June for Callaghan to visit the United States and to discuss the state of the British economy with President Lyndon Baines Johnson and the International Monetary Fund (IMF). The United States of America —commonly referred to as the The International Monetary Fund ( IMF) is an International organization that oversees the Global financial system by following the Macroeconomic

In July the pound came under extreme pressure and Callaghan was forced to create harsh temporary measures to demonstrate control of the economy. These include suspending all current government building projects and postponing new pension plans. The alternative was to allow the pound to float or to devalue it. Callaghan and Wilson however were again adamant that a devaluation of the pound would create new social and economic problems and continued to take a firm stance against it. ^[6] The government continued to struggle both with the economy and with the slender majority which by 1966 had been reduced to one. On 28 February Harold Wilson formally announced an election for the 31 March of 1966. Events 202 BC - coronation ceremony of Liu Bang as Emperor Gaozu of Han takes place initiating four centuries of the Han Dynasty 's rule James Harold Wilson Baron Wilson of Rievaulx, KG, OBE, FRS, PC (11 March 1916 &ndash 24 May 1995 was one of the most prominent British politicians Events 307 - After divorcing his wife Minervina, Constantine marries Fausta, the daughter of the retired Roman Emperor On the 1 March Callaghan gave a 'little budget' to the commons and announced the historic decision that the UK would adopt the decimal system. Events 86 BC - Lucius Cornelius Sulla, at the head of a Roman Republic army enters in Athens, removing the Tyrant (It was actually not until 1971, under a Tory government, that Britain ended the system of pounds, shillings and pence, and entered a decimal system of 100 pence to the pound. ) He also announced a short term mortgage scheme which allowed low wage earners to maintain mortgage schemes in the face of economic difficulties. Soon after Labour won 363 seats compared to 252 seats against the Conservatives, giving the Labour government a large majority of 97.

Callaghan introduced his next Budget on 4 May. He had informed the house that he would bring a full Budget to the House when he made his 'little budget' speech prior to the election. The main point of his budget was the introduction of a selective Employment tax focusing on services rather than manufacturing. Twelve days after the budget the National Union of Seamen called a national strike and the problems facing Sterling were multiplied. ^[7] Additional strikes caused the balance of payments deficit to increase and the 3. 3 billion loan was now due. On 14 July the bank rate was increased again to 7 percent. Events 1223 - Louis VIII becomes King of France upon the death of his father Philip II of France. On the 20 July Callaghan announced an emergency ten point programme with a six month freeze on wage and salary increases. Events 1304 - Wars of Scottish Independence: Fall of Stirling Castle - King Edward I of England takes the last rebel stronghold By 1967 the economy had begun to restabilise once again and the bank rate was reduced to 6% in March and 5. 5% in May.

It was under these conditions that Callaghan beat Michael Foot in a vote to become Treasurer of the Labour Party. Michael Mackintosh Foot (born 23 July 1913 is a British politician and writer The Treasurer of the Labour Party is a position on the National Executive Committee of the British Labour Party.

However the economy was soon in turmoil again with the Middle East crisis between Egypt and Israel raising oil prices. This article is about the country of Egypt For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Egypt topics. For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Israel topics. Furthermore the economy was hit in mid-September when a national dock strike lasted for eight weeks. A run on Sterling began with the six day war and with the closure of the Suez Canal and with the dock strike, the balance of payments deficit grew to a critical level. A Common Market report suggested that the pound could not be sustained as a reserve currency and it was suggested again that the pound should be devalued. Wilson and Callaghan refused a contingency fund offered from the IMF because of several conditions attached, and on Wednesday 15 November the historic decision was taken to commit the government to a 14. Events 655 - Battle of Winwaed: Penda of Mercia is defeated by Oswiu of Northumbria. 3% devaluation. The situation was a great political controversy at the time. As Denis Healey in his autobiography, notes:

Before the devaluation, Jim Callaghan had announced publicly to the press and the House of Commons that he would not devalue, something he later said was necessary to maintain confidence in the pound and avoid creating jitters in the financial markets. The House of Commons' is the Lower house of the Parliament of the United Kingdom, which also comprises the Sovereign and the House of Lords

Callaghan immediately offered his resignation as Chancellor and increasing political opposition forced Wilson to accept it. Wilson then moved Roy Jenkins the home secretary to the Chancellor of the Exchequer and Callaghan became the new Home Secretary on 30 November 1967. Roy Harris Jenkins Baron Jenkins of Hillhead OM PC ( 11 November 1920 &ndash 5 January 2003) was a British Events 1700 - Battle of Narva — A Swedish army of 8500 men under Charles XII defeats Year 1967 ( MCMLXVII) was a Common year starting on Sunday (link will display full calendar of the 1967 Gregorian calendar.

Home Secretary

Callaghan's tenure as Home Secretary was marked by the emerging conflict in Northern Ireland and it was as Home Secretary that he took the decision to deploy United Kingdom troops in the province after a request from the Ulster Unionist Government of Northern Ireland. Northern Ireland (Tuaisceart Éireann Ulster Scots: Norlin Airlann) is a Country within the United Kingdom, lying in the northeast of The Ulster Unionist Party ( UUP, sometimes referred to as the Official Unionist Party or OUP or in a historic sense simply the Unionist Party

Callaghan was also responsible for the Immigration Act 1968; a controversial piece of legislation prompted by Conservative assertions that an influx of Kenyan Asians would soon inundate the country. The Republic of Kenya is a country in East Africa. It is bordered by Ethiopia to the north Somalia to the northeast Tanzania to the south It passed through the Commons in a week and placed entry controls on holders of United Kingdom passports who had "no substantial connection" with Britain by setting up a voucher system. The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom, the UK or Britain,is a Sovereign state located In his memoirs Time and Chance, Callaghan wrote that introducing the Commonwealth Immigrants Bill had been an unwelcome task but that he did not regret it. He claimed the Asians had "discovered a loophole" and he told a BBC interviewer: "Public opinion in this country was extremely agitated, and the consideration that was in my mind was how we could preserve a proper sense of order in this country and at the same time do justice to these people - I had to balance both considerations". An opponent of the Act, Conservative MP Ian Gilmour, asserted that it was "brought in to keep the blacks out. Ian Hedworth John Little Gilmour Baron Gilmour of Craigmillar, PC, Bt If it had been the case that it was 5,000 white settlers who were coming in, the newspapers and politicians, Callaghan included, who were making all the fuss would have been quite pleased".

Also significant was the passing of the Race Relations Act in the same year, making it illegal to refuse employment, housing or education on the basis of ethnic background. The Race Relations Act 1968 was a British Act of Parliament making it illegal to refuse housing employment or public services to a person on the grounds of colour race ethnic or national The Act extended the powers of the Race Relations Board at the time, to deal with complaints of discrimination and unfair attitudes. It also set up a new supervisory body, the Community Relations Commission, to promote "harmonious community relations". ^[9] Presenting the Bill to Parliament, the Home Secretary, Jim Callaghan, said, "The House has rarely faced an issue of greater social significance for our country and our children. "

After Wilson's unexpected defeat by Edward Heath in the 1970 general election, Callaghan declined to challenge him for the leadership despite Wilson's vulnerability. Sir Edward Richard George Heath, KG, MBE (9 July 1916 &ndash 17 July 2005 often known as Ted Heath, was Prime Minister of the United Kingdom Opinion poll summary ORC (Opinion Research Council Conservative lead of 1%Harris (Express Newspapers Labour lead of 2%NOP This did much to rehabilitate him in Wilson's eyes. He was in charge of drawing up a new policy statement in 1972 which contained the idea of the Social Contract between the Government and Trade Unions. Year 1972 ( MCMLXXII) was a Leap year starting on Saturday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. The Social Contract is a term used to describe policy by the Labour government of Harold Wilson in 1970s Britain. He also did much to ensure that Labour opposed the Heath government's bid to enter the Common Market — forcing Wilson's hand by making his personal opposition clear without consulting the Party Leader. The European Community (EC is one of the Three pillars of the European Union (EU created under the Maastricht Treaty (1992

Foreign Secretary and election as Leader of the Labour party

When Wilson was again appointed Prime Minister in March 1974, he appointed Callaghan as Foreign Secretary which gave him responsibility for renegotiating the terms of Britain's membership of the Common Market. The Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, commonly referred to as the Foreign Secretary, is a member of the United Kingdom Government heading the When the talks concluded, Callaghan led the Cabinet in declaring the new terms acceptable and he supported a Yes vote in the 1975 referendum. The United Kingdom referendum of 1975 was a post-legislative Referendum held on 5 June 1975 in the whole of the United Kingdom over whether there was support for it

During his second term Wilson announced his surprise resignation on 16 March 1976, and unofficially endorsed Callaghan as his successor. Events 597 BC - Babylonians capture Jerusalem, replace Jehoiachin with Zedekiah as king Year 1976 ( MCMLXXVI) was a Leap year starting on Thursday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Callaghan was the favourite to win the leadership, although he was the oldest candidate, he was also the most experienced and least divisive. Popularity with all parts of the Labour movement saw him through the ballot of Labour MPs to win the leadership vote. The Labour Party leadership election of 1976 occurred when former leader Harold Wilson resigned as Party Leader and Prime Minister. On the 5 April 1976 at the age of 64 years and 9 days Callaghan became Prime Minister (the oldest person to become Prime Minister at time of appointment since Winston Churchill). Events 456 - St Patrick returns to Ireland as a missionary bishop Year 1976 ( MCMLXXVI) was a Leap year starting on Thursday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Sir Winston Leonard Spencer-Churchill, KG, OM, CH, TD, FRS, PC, PC (Can ( 30 November 1874

1976 to 1979: Prime Minister

Callaghan was the first Prime Minister to have held all three leading Cabinet positions - Chancellor of the Exchequer, Home Secretary and Foreign Secretary - prior to becoming Prime Minister.

James Callaghan arriving at the White House US president, Jimmy Carter in 1977. James Earl "Jimmy" Carter Jr (born October 1 1924 was the thirty-ninth President of the United States, serving from 1977 to 1981 and the recipient of the 2002

Callaghan's time as Prime Minister was dominated by the troubles in running a Government with a minority in the House of Commons: he was forced to make deals with minor parties in order to survive - including the Lib-Lab pact, and he had been forced to accept referendums on devolution in Scotland and Wales (the first went in favour but did not reach the required majority, and the second went heavily against). The House of Commons' is the Lower house of the Parliament of the United Kingdom, which also comprises the Sovereign and the House of Lords The Lib-Lab pact has been a working arrangement between the UK 's political parties of the Liberals (later Liberal Democrats) and the Labour Party Scotland ( Gaelic: Alba) is a Country in northwest Europethat occupies the northern third of the island of Great Britain.

James Callaghan at the 1978 TUC sings "Waiting at the Church" in an attempt to tell delegates there would be no general election that year. Callaghan came across on television with the opposite message - that if he called the election, the Conservatives would not be prepared.

Despite these difficulties, by the autumn of 1978, most opinion polls showed Labour ahead. And the expectation grew that Callaghan would call an Autumn election. Famously he strung along the opposition and was expected to make his declaration of election in a broadcast in early September 1978. His decision to go on was at the time seen by many as a sign of his domination of the political scene and he ridiculed his opponents by impersonating old-time music hall star Marie Lloyd singing "Waiting at the Church" at that month's Trades Union Congress meeting: now seen as one of the greatest moments of hubris in modern British politics but celebrated at the time. Music hall is a form of British theatrical Entertainment which was popular between 1850 and 1960 Matilda Alice Victoria Wood ( 12 February 1870 &ndash 7 October 1922) was an English Music-hall Singer, The Trades Union Congress (TUC is a national trade union centre, a federation of Trade unions in the United Kingdom, representing the majority of trade Hubris, sometimes spelled hybris ( Ancient Greek ὕβρις is a term used in modern English to indicate overweening Pride, self-confidence Callaghan intended to convey the message that he had not promised an election, but most observers misread his message as an assertion that he would call an election, and the Conservatives would not be ready for it.

Callaghan's decision not to call an early election has been described as the biggest mistake of his premiership.

'The Winter of Discontent'

Main article: Winter of Discontent

Callaghan's way of dealing with the long-term economic difficulties involved pay restraint which had been operating for four years with reasonable success. The "Winter of Discontent" is a term used to describe the British Winter of 1978 &ndash 1979, during which there were widespread He gambled that a fifth year would further improve the economy and allow him to be re-elected in 1979, and so attempted to hold pay rises to 5% or less. The Trade Unions rejected continued pay restraint and in a succession of strikes over the winter of 1978-79 (known as the Winter of Discontent) secured higher pay. The "Winter of Discontent" is a term used to describe the British Winter of 1978 &ndash 1979, during which there were widespread The industrial unrest made his government extremely unpopular, and Callaghan's response to one interview question only made it worse. Returning to the United Kingdom from an economic summit held in Guadeloupe in early 1979, Callaghan was asked:

James Callaghan is interviewed on his return from Guadeloupe, and tells the press that other people in the world do not think there is mounting chaos. Guadeloupe is an island group or Archipelago located in the eastern Caribbean Sea at, with a land area of 1628 square kilometres (629  sq

Callaghan replied:

This reply was reported in The Sun under the headline:

Crisis? What Crisis?. The Sun is a Tabloid daily newspaper published in the United Kingdom and Ireland with the highest circulation of any daily English-language

Callaghan was forced to advise The Queen to call an election when the House of Commons passed a Motion of No Confidence by one vote on 28 March 1979. For the ship see RMS Queen Elizabeth 2 Elizabeth II (Elizabeth Alexandra Mary Context States headed by Elizabeth II A motion of no confidence (also vote of no confidence, censure motion, no-confidence motion, or confidence motion) is a Parliamentary motion Events 37 - Roman Emperor Caligula accepts the titles of the Principate, entitled to him by the Senate. Year 1979 ( MCMLXXIX) was a Common year starting on Monday (link displays the 1979 Gregorian calendar) The Conservatives, with the advertising agency Saatchi and Saatchi, ran a campaign on the slogan "Labour isn't working". Saatchi & Saatchi is a global Advertising agency founded by brothers Maurice (now Lord Saatchi and art collector Margaret Thatcher won the election. Margaret Hilda Thatcher Baroness Thatcher LG, OM, PC, FRS (born 13 October 1925

Resignation, backbenches and retirement

Callaghan resigned as leader of the Labour Party in September 1980, shortly after the 1980 party conference had voted for a new system of election by electoral college involving the individual members and trade unions. His resignation ensured that his successor would be elected by MPs only. In the second round of a campaign that laid bare the deep internal divisions of the Parliamentary Labour Party, Michael Foot narrowly beat Denis Healey to succeed Callaghan as leader. Michael Mackintosh Foot (born 23 July 1913 is a British politician and writer Denis Winston Healey Baron Healey, CH, MBE, PC (born 30 August 1917 is a British Life peer and Labour politician

In 1982, along with his friend Gerald Ford, he cofounded the annual AEI World Forum. Gerald Rudolph Ford Jr (July 14 1913 December 26 2006 was the thirty-eighth President of the United States, serving from 1974 to 1977 and the fortieth Vice President The AEI World Forum is an annual meeting of business and financial executives heads of government, government officials and intellectuals

In 1983, Callaghan became Father of the House as the longest continuously serving member of the Commons and one of only two survivors of the 1945 general election - Michael Foot being the other, but he had been out of the House from 1955 to 1960. Father of the House is a term that has by tradition been unofficially bestowed on certain members of some national Legislatures most notably the House of Commons in In 1987 he was made a Knight of the Garter and stood down at the 1987 general election after forty-two years as a member of the Commons. Results |} All parties gaining over 500 votes listed Campaign and policies The Conservatives' campaign emphasized lower taxes a strong economy and defence Shortly afterwards, he was elevated to the House of Lords as Baron Callaghan of Cardiff, of the City of Cardiff in the Royal County of South Glamorganshire. The House of Lords is the second house of the Parliament of the United Kingdom and is also commonly referred to as "the Lords" Cardiff ( 'kɑːdɪf) is the Capital and the largest city and county in Wales. South Glamorgan is a preserved county of Wales. It was originally formed in 1974 under the Local Government Act 1972, as a county council In 1987, his autobiography, Time and Chance, was published.

In 1988, Callaghan's wife Audrey, a former chairman (1969 - 1982) of Great Ormond Street Hospital, spotted a letter to a newspaper which pointed out that the copyright of Peter Pan, which had been assigned by J. M. Barrie to the hospital, was about to expire. Audrey Elizabeth Callaghan Baroness Callaghan of Cardiff ( née Moulton 28 July 1915 &ndash 15 March 2005) was the wife of The Great Ormond Street Hospital (GOSH is a medical institution specialising in the care of children Copyright is a legal concept enacted by Governments, giving the creator of an original work of authorship Exclusive rights to control its distribution usually for Peter Pan is a fictional character created by Scottish novelist and playwright J Sir James Matthew Barrie 1st Baronet OM ( 9 May, 1860 &ndash 19 June, 1937) more commonly known as J Callaghan moved an amendment to the Copyright Bill then under consideration in the Lords to extend the term under which the hospital could continue to collect royalties despite the lapse of copyright, and this was accepted by the government.

On 14 February 2005, he became the longest-lived British Prime Minister, surpassing Harold Macmillan, and had the longest life of any British prime minister when he died at his farm in Ringmer, East Sussex on 26 March 2005, on the eve of his 93rd birthday. Events 842 - Charles the Bald and Louis the German swear the Oaths of Strasbourg in the French and German Year 2005 ( MMV) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link displays full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. (Maurice Harold Macmillan 1st Earl of Stockton, OM, PC (10 February 1894 &ndash 29 December 1986 was a British Conservative Politician Ringmer is a village and Civil parish in the Lewes District of East Sussex, England. East Sussex is a county in South East England. It is bordered by the counties of Kent, Surrey and West Sussex, and to the Events 1026 - Pope John XIX crowns Conrad II as Holy Roman Emperor. Year 2005 ( MMV) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link displays full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. At the time of his death Callaghan had lived 92 years 364 days, exceeding by 42 days the life span of Macmillan.

Personal life

James Callaghan's interests included rugby, tennis and agriculture. Rugby football (usually just " rugby " may refer to a number of sports through history descended from a common form of Football developed at Rugby School Tennis is a sport played between two players ( singles) or between two teams of two players each ( doubles) According to the official history of 10 Downing Street, he is believed to have been the tallest prime minister in British history at 185 cm. Callaghan was an atheist^[10]. Atheism He married Audrey Elizabeth Moulton, whom he had met when they both worked as Sunday School teachers at the local Baptist church,^[11] in July 1938 and had three children — one son and two daughters. Audrey Elizabeth Callaghan Baroness Callaghan of Cardiff ( née Moulton 28 July 1915 &ndash 15 March 2005) was the wife of Lady Callaghan died on 15 March 2005. Events 44 BC - Julius Caesar, Dictator of the Roman Republic, is stabbed to death by Marcus Junius Brutus, Year 2005 ( MMV) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link displays full calendar of the Gregorian calendar.

James Callaghan died on 26 March 2005, just 11 days after his wife's death. Events 1026 - Pope John XIX crowns Conrad II as Holy Roman Emperor. Year 2005 ( MMV) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link displays full calendar of the Gregorian calendar.

One of their daughters, Margaret became Baroness Jay of Paddington and was Leader of the House of Lords from 1998 to 2001. Margaret Ann Jay Baroness Jay of Paddington, PC (born November 18, 1939) is a British politician for the Labour Party. The House of Lords is the second house of the Parliament of the United Kingdom and is also commonly referred to as "the Lords"

James Callaghan in popular culture

The song "Time For Truth" from The Jam's debut In the City, a scathing critique of the state of the British nation, directly addresses Callaghan: "I think it's time for truth, and the truth is you lost, Uncle Jimmy. The Jam were an English Mod revival band active during the late 1970s and early 1980s In the City was the debut album of British Mod revival / Punk rock band The Jam. "

In 1977 James Callaghan was immortalised in a cartoon strip, debuting in issue # 17 (2 February 1977) of Captain Britain comic, published by Marvel. Events 962 - Translatio imperii: Pope John XII crowns Otto I Holy Roman Emperor, the first Holy Roman Emperor Also 1977 (album by Ash. Year 1977 ( MCMLXXVII) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link displays Captain Britain ( Brian Braddock) briefly known as Britannic is a Fictional character, a Superhero appearing in the comic books published by He is briefed by Nick Fury of a Nazi plan by supervillain the Red Skull to take over Great Britain. Colonel Nicholas Joseph "Nick" Fury is a fictional World War II army hero and present-day super-spy in the Marvel Comics The Red Skull is a name shared by several fictional Comic book Supervillains from the Marvel Comics universe. In issue # 21 (2 March 1977) Callaghan is kidnapped by the baddies and sentenced to death, by firing squad, alongside Captain Britain and Captain America, before making his escape. Events 986 - Louis V becomes King of the Franks. 1127 - Assassination of Charles the Good Also 1977 (album by Ash. Year 1977 ( MCMLXXVII) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link displays Captain Britain ( Brian Braddock) briefly known as Britannic is a Fictional character, a Superhero appearing in the comic books published by It is not known what Callaghan's reaction was to his appearance in cartoon form.

The musician and humourist John Dowie also provides commentary on James Callaghan in the aptly titled song, "Jim Callaghan. John Dowie (born 1950 in Birmingham) is a British comedian musician and writer "

Titles from birth to death

• James Callaghan, Esq (27 March 1912 - 1943)
• Lieutenant James Callaghan, RNVR (1943 - 26 July 1945)
• Lieutenant James Callaghan, MP (26 July 1945-21 October 1964)
• Lieutenant The Right Honourable James Callaghan, MP (21 October 1964-?)
• The Right Honourable James Callaghan, MP (?- 23 April 1987)
• The Right Honourable Sir James Callaghan, KG, MP (23 April - 11 June 1987)
• The Right Honourable Sir James Callaghan, KG (11 June - 5 November 1987)
• The Right Honourable The Lord Callaghan of Cardiff, KG, PC (5 November 1987 - 26 March 2005)

External links

• More about James Callaghan on the Downing Street website. Events 196 BC - Ptolemy V ascends to the throne of Egypt. 1309 - Pope Clement V excommunicates Year 1912 ( MCMXII) was a Leap year starting on Monday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Leap year starting Year 1943 ( MCMXLIII) was a Common year starting on Friday (the link will display full 1943 calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Year 1943 ( MCMXLIII) was a Common year starting on Friday (the link will display full 1943 calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Events 657 - Battle of Siffin. 811 - Battle of Pliska; Byzantine Emperor Nicephorus Year 1945 ( MCMXLV) was a Common year starting on Monday (link will display the full calendar Events 657 - Battle of Siffin. 811 - Battle of Pliska; Byzantine Emperor Nicephorus Year 1945 ( MCMXLV) was a Common year starting on Monday (link will display the full calendar Events 1512 - Martin Luther joins the theological faculty of the University of Wittenberg. Year 1964 ( MCMLXIV) was a Leap year starting on Wednesday (link will display full calendar of the 1964 Gregorian calendar. Events 1512 - Martin Luther joins the theological faculty of the University of Wittenberg. Year 1964 ( MCMLXIV) was a Leap year starting on Wednesday (link will display full calendar of the 1964 Gregorian calendar. Events 215 BC - A temple is built on the Capitoline Hill dedicated to Venus Erycina to commemorate the Roman defeat at Year 1987 ( MCMLXXXVII) was a Common year starting on Thursday (link displays 1987 Gregorian calendar) Events 215 BC - A temple is built on the Capitoline Hill dedicated to Venus Erycina to commemorate the Roman defeat at Events 1184 BC - Trojan War: Troy is sacked and burned according to the calculations of Eratosthenes. Year 1987 ( MCMLXXXVII) was a Common year starting on Thursday (link displays 1987 Gregorian calendar) Events 1184 BC - Trojan War: Troy is sacked and burned according to the calculations of Eratosthenes. Events 1499 - Publication of the Catholicon in Treguier ( Brittany) Year 1987 ( MCMLXXXVII) was a Common year starting on Thursday (link displays 1987 Gregorian calendar) Events 1499 - Publication of the Catholicon in Treguier ( Brittany) Year 1987 ( MCMLXXXVII) was a Common year starting on Thursday (link displays 1987 Gregorian calendar) Events 1026 - Pope John XIX crowns Conrad II as Holy Roman Emperor. Year 2005 ( MMV) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link displays full calendar of the Gregorian calendar.
• An interview with Chancellor Callaghan after an IMF interview at Rio, Brazil
• Official portrait of James Callaghan by David Griffiths
• 'Prime Ministers in the Post-War World: James Callaghan', lecture by Professor the Lord Morgan at Gresham College on 5 June 2007 (with video and audio files available for download)

Notes

References

Books:

• Callaghan, James. Events 70 - Titus and his Roman Legions breach the middle wall of Jerusalem in the Siege of Jerusalem Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. Time and Chance. Collins, 1987.
• Callaghan, James. Challenges and Opportunities for British Foreign Policy. Fabian Society, 1975.

Biographies:

• Conroy, Harry. James Callaghan. Haus, 2006.
• Derbyshire, Dennis. Politics in Britain: From Callaghan to Thatcher (Political Spotlights). Chambers, 1990.
• Donoughue, Bernard. Prime Minister: Conduct of Policy Under Harold Wilson and James Callaghan, 1974-79. Jonathan Cape, 1987.
• Donoughue, Bernard. The Heat of the Kitchen. Politico's Publishing, 2003.
• Healey, Denis. The Time of My Life. Michael Joseph, 1989.
• Jefferys, Kevin (ed). Leading Labour. I. B. Tauris, 1999.
• Morgan, Kenneth O. Callaghan: A Life. Oxford University Press, 1997.
• Rosen, Greg. Dictionary of Labour Biography. Politico's Publishing, 2001.
• Rosen, Greg. Old Labour to New. Politico's Publishing, 2005.

See also

• Callaghan Ministry