|
|
| 1917 | Birth |  |
| 27th Mar Portsmouth Birth of James Callaghan |
| 1945 | Election | |
| 5th July Cardiff Elected Member of Parliament |
| 1946 | Speech | |
| 20th Aug London Makes his maiden speech in Parliament |
| 1947 | Secretary Transport | |
| Appointed Secretary in the Ministry of Trans port |
| 1950 | Secretary of Admiralty | |
| Appointed Secretary to the Admiralty |
| 1961 | Shadow Chancellor Exchequer | |
| Appointed Shadow Chancellor of the Exchequer, 1st term |
| 1963 | Election | |
| Defeated by Harold Wilson for leadership of the Labour Party |
| 1963 | Shadow Chancellor Exchequer | |
| Appointed Shadow Chancellor of the Exchequer, 2nd term |
| 1964 | Budget | |
| 11th Nov London Announces increases in social benefits & the introduction of capital gains tax |
| 1964 | Chancellor | |
| Appointed Chancellor of the Exchequer |
| 1966 | Devaluation | |
| 1st July London Says devaluation of the pound is unnecessary |
| 4th July London Pompidou's policy to devalue puts pressure on Callaghan to propose devaluation |
| 1966 | Resignation | |
| London Resigns after the devaluing the pound |
| 1967 | Budget | |
| London Callaghan announces a cautious budget |
| London Sterling is strong, trade in surplus & the bank rate down to 6% |
| 1967 | Devaluation | |
| 8th Nov Describes devaluation as an "economic & political catastrophe" |
| 16th Nov Announces the devaluation of sterling, "the unhappiest day of my life" |
| 1967 | Economy | |
| Sterling is strong, trade in surplus & the bank rate down to 6% |
| 1967 | Secretary of Home Affairs | |
| 20th June Appointed Home Secretary |
| 1969 | Commission Boundary | |
| 19th June London The findings of the Boundary Commission are published |
| 21st Aug London The Boundary Commission reports its findings, the first since 1954, to James Callaghan |
| 21st Aug London The Commission recommends redistribution which favours Conservatives by 15-20 seats |
| 1969 | Reform | |
| London The Representation of the People Act is defeated in the House of Lords |
| 20th June London Publishes the proposals of the Representation of the People Act |
| 21st Aug London The Commission recommends redistribution which favours Conservatives by 15-20 seats |
| 1969 | Terrorism | |
| Sends troops into Northern Ireland |
| 1970 | Shadow Foreign Secretary | |
| Appointed Shadow Foreign Secretary |
| 1974 | Evacuation Cyprus | |
| Cyprus Turkey invades Cyprus, the RAF flies 9,000 people to Britain |
| 1974 | Invasion of Cyprus | |
| Cyprus Turkey invades Cyprus, the RAF flies 9,000 people to Britain |
| 1974 | Minister of Foreign Affairs | |
| 5th Mar Appointed Foreign Minister |
| 1976 | Defeat | |
| 10th Nov London The government is defeated on amendments to the Dock Work Regulation Bill |
| 1976 | Diplomacy | |
| 19th Sep London Returns after an 8 day visit to Canada |
| 23rd Sep London Henry Kissinger has discussions with James Callaghan after his 10 day tour of Africa |
| 1976 | Dockers Monopoly | |
| 15th Nov The dockers' employment monopoly within 1/2 not 5 mile radius is kept |
| 1976 | Economy | |
| 27th Sep The œ falls to $1.68 |
| 29th Sep Britain applies for an International Monetary Fund loan of œ2,300 million |
| 11th Oct The government wins a majority of 13 in support its economic policy |
| 14th Oct Britains trade deficit in September is reported to be œ365 million |
| 1976 | Independence | |
| 24th Sep Smith accepts Kissinger's proposals for 2 yr transition to black majority rule |
| 26th Sep Britain agrees a 5 African nation request for a conference for transitional government |
| 1976 | Legislation | |
| The Race Relations Act is pased |
| 1976 | NEC | |
| 27th Oct The National Executive of the Labour Party vote to protest to Parliament about cuts |
| 1976 | Party Leader | |
| London Appointed Party Leader of the Labour Party |
| 1976 | Prime Minister | |
| 5th April Appointed Prime Minister of Great Britain |
| 10th Sep Makes a Cabinet reshuffle |
| 1976 | Rebellion | |
| 27th Oct The National Executive of the Labour Party vote to protest to Parliament about cuts |
| 1976 | Reform | |
| A Commission on Race Equality is established |
| Grammar Schools must go comprehensive or fee-paying |
| Incitement to race hatred becomes an offence |
| Large Grammer Schools have direct grants removed |
| The Race Relations Act is pased |
| 10th Nov London The government is defeated on amendments to the Dock Work Regulation Bill |
| 15th Nov Accepts comprimise, dockers employment monopoly within 1/2 not 5 mile radius |
| 15th Nov Higher unemployment & welfare benefits come into force |
| 1976 | Strike | |
| 6th Sep The NUSAvote in favour of industrial action for œ6 contravening government pay policy |
| 22nd Sep The executive of the National Union of Seamen accept fringe benefits |
| 22nd Sep The executive of the National Union of Seamen call off the strike |
| 15th Nov Accepts comprimise, dockers employment monopoly within 1/2 not 5 mile radius |
| 1976 | Vote Confidence | |
| 11th Oct The government wins a majority of 13 in support its economic policy |
| 10th Nov London The government is defeated on amendments to the Dock Work Regulation Bill |
| 1977 | Alliance | |
| Dependent upon the Liberal Party after Labour loses its majority |
| 1977 | Economy | |
| 25th Jan The monthly unemployment figures reach the highest since 1948 |
| 1977 | Exclusion Zone | |
| 1st Jan Britain's new 200 mile fishing zone comes into effect |
| 1977 | IMF Loan | |
| 3rd Jan The International Monetary Fund approves a loan of œ2,300 million to Great Britain |
| 1977 | Independence | |
| 24th Jan Ian Smith rejects the British proposals for a Rhodes ian settlement |
| 22nd Feb London The Scottish Devolution Bill is defeated |
| 1st Mar A referendum is held but the required 40% of Scots do not vote for devolution |
| 1977 | Majority Labour Party | |
| London Dependent upon the Liberal Party after Labour loses its majority |
| 1977 | Pact | |
| London A pact is formed between Labour & Liberal with the promise of a 3rd Devolution Bill |
| 1977 | Reform | |
| London Launches the "Great Debate" on education |
| 1977 | Strike | |
| 10th Jan Heathrow Baggage handlers at Heathrow call off their 3 day dispute |
| 1978 | Budget | |
| Mar London A white paper announces cuts to the defence budget of œ4,700 million over 10 yrs |
| 1978 | European Union | |
| London 8 out of 9 countries in the EC join the European Monetary System, Britain stays out |
| 1978 | Reform | |
| London 8 out of 9 countries in the EC join the European Monetary System, Britain stays out |
| 1978 | Strike | |
| Dec British Leyland workers make a claim for 37% |
| Dec British Oxygen workers settle for 10% |
| Dec Ford workers settle for 17% |
| 1979 | Conference of Guadeloupe | |
| Jan Attends an economic conference at Guadeloupe |
| 1979 | Economy | |
| 11th Jan Misquoted in the press saying, "Crisis, what crisis?", returning from Guadaloupe |
| 1979 | Election | |
| 28th Mar London Forced to call a general election |
| 28th Mar London The government loses a confidence motion by 1 vote |
| 3rd May The Labour Party lose the election after a 7% swing to the Conservatives |
| 3rd May The Labour Party win 36.9% of votes cast & 269 MPs |
| 1979 | Pay Norm | |
| Jan The pay norm in Cabinet is increased from 5% to 9.5% |
| 1979 | State of Emergency | |
| Jan Callaghan wishes to declare a state of emergency but is over-ruled by his colleagues |
| 1979 | Strike | |
| Jan Cabinet decides to buy off the road haulage workers with a 20% increase |
| Jan Local authority workers call for 8% |
| Jan Lorry drivers demand 20% |
| Jan Oil tanker drivers accept 15% |
| Jan Railway workers want 10% bomus on top of their 20% wage demand |
| Jan The road haulage drivers' dispute is made official by the TGWU |
| Jan Water workers go on strike |
| 1979 | Vote Confidence | |
| 28th Mar London The government loses a confidence motion by 1 vote |
| 1980 | Resignation | |
| London Resigns as Party Leader of the Labour Party |
| 1983 | Election | |
| 9th June Declares he is opposed to unilateral nuclear disarmament, against Labour's policy |
| 1987 | Peerage | |
| Made a life peer |
| 1987 | Retirement | |
| Retires from the House of Commons & enters the Lords |
| 2005 | Death | |
| 26th Mar Death of James Callaghan |
