Leonard James Callaghan, Baron Callaghan o Cardiff,KG, PC (27 Mairch 1912 – 26 Mairch 2005), eften kent asJim Callaghan, wis thePrime Meenister o the Unitit Kinrick frae 1976 til 1979 an Leader o theLabour Pairty frae 1976 til 1980.[1]
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.[1] As Prime Meenister, he haed some successes, but is maistly mindit for the "Winter o Discontent" o 1978–79. In a gey 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 leaderMargaret Thatcher.[2]
Whan enterin the Hoose o Commons in 1945, he wis on the left weeng o the pairty. Callaghan steadily shiftit thewarts 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.[3] Callaghan's period as Chancellor o the Exchequer coincidit wi a turbulent period for the Breetish economy, in that he haed tae deal wi wi a balance o peyments deficit an speculative attacks on thepoond sterling (its exchynge rate tae ither currencies wis awmaist fixed bi the Bretton Woods system).[4] On 18 November 1967, the govrenment devailyie'd the poond sterling.[5] Callaghan becam Hame Secretar.[1] Hesent the Breetish Airmy tae support thepolis in Northren Ireland, efter a request frae theNorthren Ireland Govrenment.[6]
Efter Labour wis defeatit at the 1970 general election, Callaghan played a key role in the Shaidae Cabinet.[3] 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.[7][8] Whan Prime MeenisterHarold 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 til 1978.[9] 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 nae confidence on 28 Mairch 1979. This wis follaed bi a defeat at the general election that happent.[10]
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 live langer nor ony ither Breetish prime meenister in history—92 years an 364 days.[11]
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