James Callaghan

:A different James Callaghan was MP for Heywood & Middleton.

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The Right Honourable Leonard James Callaghan, Baron Callaghan of Cardiff, KG, PC (27 March 1912 – 26 March 2005), was Labour Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 1976 to 1979. He was known by his second name, James, shortened to Jim, giving his nicknames "Sunny Jim" or "Big Jim". Callaghan is the only person to have filled the three great offices of state (Chancellor of the Exchequer, Home Secretary and Foreign Secretary) before becoming Prime Minister.

Related Topics:
The Right Honourable - KG - PC - 27 March - 1912 - 26 March - 2005 - Labour - Prime Minister of the United Kingdom - 1976 - 1979 - Nickname - Great offices of state - Chancellor of the Exchequer - Home Secretary - Foreign Secretary

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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. In November 1967, the Government was forced to devalue the pound. Callaghan offered to resign, but was persuaded to swap his ministerial post with Roy Jenkins, becoming Home Secretary from 1967 to 1970. In that capacity, Callaghan took the decision to deploy the British Army to Northern Ireland after a request from the Northern Ireland Government.

Related Topics:
Chancellor of the Exchequer - 1964 - 1967 - Pound sterling - Roy Jenkins - Home Secretary - 1970 - British Army - Northern Ireland

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Callaghan returned to office as Foreign Secretary in March 1974, taking responsibility for renegotiating the terms of Britain's membership of the Common Market, and supporting a "Yes" vote in the 1975 referendum for the UK to remain in the EEC. When Harold Wilson resigned in 1976, Callaghan was elected as the new leader by Labour MPs. His only term as Prime Minister was dogged by Labour's lack of a majority in the House of Commons, forcing Callaghan to deal with minor parties such as the Ulster Unionists, a process which led to the Lib-Lab Pact. Industrial disputes in the 'Winter of Discontent' of 1978–79 made Callaghan's government unpopular and the defeat of the referendum on devolution to Scotland led to defeat on a Motion of No Confidence on 28 March 1979. This was followed by a defeat by Margaret Thatcher's Conservative Party in the ensuing general election.

Related Topics:
Foreign Secretary - 1974 - Common Market - 1975 - EEC - Harold Wilson - 1976 - Ulster Unionists - Lib-Lab Pact - Winter of Discontent - 1978 - 79 - Referendum - Devolution - Scotland - 28 March - Margaret Thatcher - General election

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