James Callaghan

Leonard James "Jim" Callaghan, Baron Callaghan of Cardiff,  (; 27 March 1912 – 26 March 2005) was a British Labour politician who served as the 48th Prime Minister of the United Kingdom (UK) from 1976 to 1979.

Born in the 1910s, Callaghan was an old-style socialist, lacking any higher education, and served as Member of Parliament (MP) for a Cardiff constituency. He is the only person to have held all three leading UK Cabinet positions (Chancellor, Home Secretary and Foreign Secretary), prior to their premiership. He was never expected to reach the premiership, having taken a back seat to the younger and more charismatic Harold Wilson for many years. However, when Wilson unexpectedly announced his retirement in 1976, Callaghan was the most experienced candidate to replace him. His time as prime minister was one of more open government but the electorate was dissatisfied with his relaxed response to high inflation and more industrial unrest, and replaced Labour with a Conservative government under Margaret Thatcher.

Callaghan resigned as Leader of the Labour Party 17 monthslater, but remained an MP for some years before being sent to the House of Lords as Baron Callaghan of Cardiff.

References

Other websites

Category:1912 births
Category:2005 deaths
Category:British military personnel of World War II
Category:Chancellors of the Exchequer
Category:Labour Party (UK) MPs
Category:Members of the British House of Commons for Welsh constituencies
Category:Knights of the Garter
Category:Leaders of the Labour Party (UK)
Category:Leaders of the Opposition (United Kingdom)
Category:People from Portsmouth
Category:Members of the Privy Council of the United Kingdom
Category:Royal Navy officers
Category:Secretaries of State for the Home Department
Category:British secretaries of state for foreign and Commonwealth affairs
Category:UK MPs 1945–1950
Category:UK MPs 1950–1951
Category:UK MPs 1951–1955
Category:UK MPs 1955–1959
Category:UK MPs 1959–1964
Category:UK MPs 1964–1966
Category:UK MPs 1966–1970
Category:UK MPs 1970–1974
Category:UK MPs 1974
Category:UK MPs 1974–1979
Category:UK MPs 1979–1983
Category:UK MPs 1983–1987
Category:Labour Life Peers
Category:Politicians from Hampshire

Category:British trade unionists