Lentorama 2023: It Happened on Holy Saturday

Day 11: No More Labouring

James Callaghan was a British politician, the prime minister before Margaret Thatcher and the last Labour prime minister until Tony Blair. He served in the office from 1976 to 1979, and is the only person to have held all four of what is known in the UK as the Great Offices of State (Chancellor of the Exchequer, Home Secretary, Foreign Secretary, and Prime Minister).

Callaghan took office after the retirement of Harold Wilson, at a point where Labour's majority in the House of Commons was dwindling. He entered into a "confidence and supply" agreement with the Liberal Party, but economic turmoil led several smaller parties to support the Conservatives, which helped destabilize the deal with the Liberals. This led to a vote of no confidence in Callaghan in March of 1979, and a Labour loss in the ensuing general election.

Callaghan would hold on as Labour leader for another year, and stayed in Commons until 1987, at which point he was the longest-serving MP with 42 years service. That year he was also awarded the Order of the Garter and was elevated to the House of Lords as Baron Callaghan of Cardiff.

Callaghan would pass away on March 26, 2005. At 92 years of age. he is the longest-living prime minister in British history. Sort of like the British version of Jimmy Carter.