James Callaghan

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

Early life and career

Callaghan was the son of a Royal Navy Chief Petty Officer of Irish ancestry, who died when Callaghan was aged 9. He was educated at Portsmouth Northern Grammar School, and left at 16 to work as a clerk for the Inland Revenue. 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. Following a merger, Callaghan was appointed as full-time Assistant Secretary of the Inland Revenue Staff Federation.

Related Topics:
Royal Navy - Chief Petty Officer - Irish - Portsmouth - Inland Revenue - Trade Union

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This job brought Callaghan into contact with Harold Laski, the Chair of the Labour Party's National Executive Committee and a respected academic at the London School of Economics. 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. While on leave, Callaghan was selected as a Parliamentary candidate for Cardiff South, later Cardiff South East. He won the seat in the 1945 UK general election, and would hold a Cardiff-area seat continuously until 1987.

Related Topics:
Harold Laski - National Executive Committee - London School of Economics - Royal Navy - World War II - 1943 - Lieutenant - Cardiff - 1945 UK general election

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