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 Laird Callaghan o Cardiff | |
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| 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 | |
| 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 – 5 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 Portsmouth, Hampshire, Unitit Kinrick |
| Dee'd | 26 Mairch 2005 (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 held 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.
Upon 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.