James Callaghan

Leonard James Callaghan, Baron Callaghan o Cardiff, KG, PC (27 Mairch 1912 – 26 Mairch 2005), eften kent as Jim Callaghan, wis the Prime Meenister o the Unitit Kinrick frae 1976 tae 1979 an Leader o the Labour Pairty frae 1976 tae 1980.

The Richt Honourable The Laird Callaghan o Cardiff KG PC
Prime Meenister o the Unitit Kinrick
In office 5 Aprile 1976 – 4 Mey 1979
Monarch	Elizabeth II
Precedit bi	Harold Wilson
Succeedit bi	Margaret Thatcher
Leader o the Opposeetion
In office 4 Mey 1979 – 10 November 1980
Monarch	Elizabeth II
Prime Meenister	Margaret Thatcher
Precedit bi	Margaret Thatcher
Succeedit bi	Michael Foot
Leader o the Labour Pairty
In office 5 Aprile 1976 – 10 November 1980
Depute	Michael Foot
Precedit bi	Harold Wilson
Succeedit bi	Michael Foot
Foreign Secretar
In office 5 Mairch 1974 – 8 Aprile 1976
Prime Meenister	Harold Wilson
Precedit bi	Alec Douglas-Home
Succeedit bi	Anthony Crosland
Shaidae Foreign Secretar
In office 19 Aprile 1972 – 28 Februar 1974
Leader	Harold Wilson
Precedit bi	Denis Healey
Succeedit bi	Geoffrey Rippon
Shaidae Secretar o State for Employment
In office 19 October 1971 – 19 Aprile 1972
Leader	Harold Wilson
Precedit bi	Barbara Castle
Succeedit bi	Denis Healey
Shaidae Home Secretar
In office 19 Juin 1970 – 19 October 1971
Leader	Harold Wilson
Precedit bi	Quintin Hogg
Succeedit bi	Shirley Williams
Hame Secretar
In office 30 November 1967 – 19 Juin 1970
Prime Meenister	Harold Wilson
Precedit bi	Roy Jenkins
Succeedit bi	Reginald Maudling
Chancellor o the Exchequer
In office 16 October 1964 – 30 November 1967
Prime Meenister	Harold Wilson
Precedit bi	Reginald Maudling
Succeedit bi	Roy Jenkins
Shaidae Chancellor o the Exchequer
In office 2 November 1961 – 16 October 1964
Leader	Hugh Gaitskell Harold Wilson
Precedit bi	Harold Wilson
Succeedit bi	Reginald Maudling
Parliamentary an Financial Secretar tae the Admiralty
In office 2 Mairch 1950 – 25 October 1951
Prime Meenister	Clement Attlee
Precedit bi	John Dugdale
Succeedit bi	Allan Noble
Pairlamentary Secretar tae the Meenistry o Transport
In office 7 October 1947 – 2 Mairch 1950
Prime Meenister	Clement Attlee
Precedit bi	George Strauss
Succeedit bi	George Lucas
Faither o the Hoose
In office 9 Juin 1983 – 11 Juin 1987
Precedit bi	John Parker
Succeedit bi	Bernard Braine
Member o Pairlament for Cardiff Sooth an Penarth Cardiff Sooth East (1950–1983) Cardiff Sooth (1945–1950)
In office 26 Julie 1945 – 11 Juin 1987
Precedit bi	Arthur Evans
Succeedit bi	Alun Michael
Personal details
Born	Leonard James Callaghan 27 Mairch 1912(1912-03-27) Portsmouth, Hampshire, Unitit Kinrick
Dee'd	26 Mairch 2005(2005-03-26) (aged 92) Ringmer, East Sussex, Unitit Kinrick
Poleetical pairty	Labour
Spoose(s)	Audrey Moulton (m. 1938; d. 2005)
Bairns	Margaret Julie Michael
Signatur	James Callaghan's signatur
Militar service
Service/branch	Ryal Navy
Rank	Lieutenant
Battles/wars	Warld War II

Tae date, Callaghan remeens the anerly person tae hae haud aw fower Great Offices o State, haein served as Chancellor o the Exchequer (1964–1967), Hame Secretar (1967–1970) an Furrin Secretar (1974–1976) prior tae his appyntment as Prime Meenister. As Prime Meenister, he haed some successes, but is mainly remembered for the "Winter o Discontent" o 1978–79. In a verra cauld winter, his battle wi tred unions led tae immense strikes that seriously inconvenienced the public, leadin tae his defeat in the polls bi Conservative leader Margaret Thatcher.

Whan enterin the Hoose o Commons in 1945, he wis on the left weeng o the pairty. Callaghan steadily muived taewart the richt, but mainteened his reputation as "The Keeper o the Cloth Cap"—that is, he wis seen as dedicatit tae mainteenin close ties atween the Labour Pairty an the tred unions. Callaghan's period as Chancellor o the Exchequer coincidit wi a turbulent period for the Breetish economy, in that he haed tae warstle wi a balance o peyments deficit an speculative attacks on the poond sterling (its exchynge rate tae ither currencies wis awmaist fixed bi the Bretton Woods seestem). On 18 November 1967, the govrenment devailyie'd the poond sterling. Callaghan becam Hame Secretar. He sent the Breetish Airmy tae support the polis in Northren Ireland, efter a request frae the Northren Ireland Govrenment.

Efter Labour wis defeatit at the 1970 general election, Callaghan played a key role in the Shaidae Cabinet. He becam Furrin Secretar in 1974 upon Labour regainin govrenment, takin responsibility for renegotiatin the terms o the UK's membership o the European Commonties, an supportin a "Ay" vote in the 1975 referendum tae remeen in the EC. Whan Prime Meenister Harold Wilson resigned in 1976, Callaghan defeatit five ither candidates tae be electit as his replacement. Labour haed alresdy lost its narrae majority in the Hoose o Commons bi the time he becam Prime Meenister, an forder bi-election defeats an defections forced Callaghan tae deal wi minor pairties sic as the Leeberal Pairty, pairteecularly in the "Leeb–Lab pact" frae 1977 tae 1978. Industrial disputes an widespreid strikes in the 1978 "Winter o Discontent" made Callaghan's govrenment unpopular, an the defeat o the referendum on devolution for Scotland led tae the successfu passage o a motion o na confidence on 28 Mairch 1979. This wis followed bi a defeat at the ensuin general election.

Callaghan remeened Labour Pairty leader till November 1980, in order tae reform the process bi that the pairty electit its leader, afore returnin tae the backbenches whaur he remeened till he wis made a life peer as Baron Callaghan o Cairdiff. He went on tae leeve langer nor ony ither Breetish prime meenister in history—92 years an 364 days.