Callaghan government
The Callaghan Cabinet was formed in the United Kingdom on April 5, 1976 by Prime Minister James Callaghan of the Labor Party , replacing the Wilson II Cabinet . The cabinet remained in office until May 4, 1979, when it was replaced by the Thatcher I cabinet .
Reigned 1976 to 1979
Callaghan had assumed the post of prime minister after the resignation of his party friend Harold Wilson on March 16, 1976. Due to party withdrawals and lost by-elections , he no longer had a majority in the House of Commons . Add to this a worsening economic situation, as a result of which the pound sterling fell to US $ 1.714 and the number of unemployed rose to 1.3 million. In view of the simultaneous global recession, the government concluded a three-year social pact with the trade unions on June 28, 1976 , in which programmatic priorities for economic and social development such as import restrictions, property taxes, price and wage restrictions were set. However, this did not prevent future strikes.
The cooperation agreement concluded with the Liberal Party on March 27, 1977 gave the Labor government another, albeit uncertain, majority in the lower house. The Liberal Party canceled the pact after a year. In the so-called "Winter of Discontent" ('Winter of Discontent') 1978/1979, extensive strikes paralyzed the health care system and other essential service areas such as hospitals, garbage disposal and transport and thereby permanently reduced the government's reputation. In order to meet the demands of Scottish and Welsh nationalists, the Labor Party propagated a policy of devolution on March 28, 1979, i.e. the transfer of rights to newly established regional parliaments, subject to the ultimate reservation of the sovereignty of Parliament in London. However, referenda held for this purpose did not achieve the required majorities in either Scotland or Wales .
Under the impression of the far-reaching economic crisis and the resulting social struggles for distribution, the political parties initially polarized again at the end of the 1970s. The basic consensus that had existed until then about the establishment of an intervention state with social objectives broke up in view of the obvious fact that this could no longer be financed in the situation at the time. While “ left ” currents were gaining in importance within the Labor Party , the conservative Tories under Margaret Thatcher , who had been party leader since 1975, called for a neoliberal move away from the welfare state and instead advocated the promotion of individualism and market laws.
In the general election of May 3, 1979 , 339 seats out of 635 seats in the House of Commons were held by the Conservative Party, while the previously ruling Labor Party received 269 seats. Other parties had a further 27 MPs. Margaret Thatcher became the first woman in UK history to serve as Prime Minister.
minister
The Cabinet consisted of the following ministers:
| Office | Surname | Beginning of the term of office | Term expires |
|---|---|---|---|
| prime minister | James Callaghan | April 5th 1976 | 4th May 1979 |
| Lord President of the Council | Michael Foot | April 8, 1976 | 4th May 1979 |
| Lord Chancellor | Elwyn Jones, Baron Elwyn-Jones | April 8, 1976 | 4th May 1979 |
| Lord Seal Keeper |
Malcolm Shepherd, 2nd Baron Shepherd Fred Peart, Baron Peart |
April 8, 1976 September 10, 1976 |
September 10, 1976 May 4, 1979 |
| Chancellor of the Exchequer | Denis Healey | April 8, 1976 | 4th May 1979 |
| Chief Secretary of the Treasury | Joel Barnett | February 21, 1977 | 4th May 1979 |
| Foreign minister |
Anthony Crosland David Owen |
April 8, 1976 February 19, 1977 |
February 19, 1977 May 4, 1979 |
| Interior minister |
Roy Jenkins Merlyn Rees |
April 8, 1976 September 10, 1976 |
September 10, 1976 May 4, 1979 |
| Minister for Agriculture and Food | Fred Peart John Silkin |
April 8, 1976 September 10, 1976 |
September 10, 1976 May 4, 1979 |
| Defense Minister |
Roy Mason Frederick Mulley |
April 8, 1976 September 10, 1976 |
September 10, 1976 May 4, 1979 |
| Minister of Education | Frederick Mulley Shirley Williams |
April 8, 1976 September 10, 1976 |
September 10, 1976 May 4, 1979 |
| Minister for Employment | Albert Booth | April 8, 1976 | 4th May 1979 |
| Energy minister | Tony Benn | April 8, 1976 | 4th May 1979 |
| Environment Minister | Peter Shore | April 8, 1976 | 4th May 1979 |
| Minister for Planning and Local Government | John Silkin | April 8, 1976 | September 10, 1976 |
| Industry Minister | Eric Varley | April 8, 1976 | 4th May 1979 |
| Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster | Harold Lever | April 8, 1976 | 4th May 1979 |
| Minister for Northern Ireland | Merlyn Rees Roy Mason |
April 8, 1976 September 10, 1976 |
September 10, 1976 May 4, 1979 |
| Minister for Overseas Development | Reg Prentice | April 8, 1976 | December 21, 1976 |
| Minister for Prices and Consumers | Shirley Williams Roy Hattersley |
April 8, 1976 September 10, 1976 |
September 10, 1976 May 4, 1979 |
| Minister for Scotland | Bruce Millan | April 8, 1976 | 4th May 1979 |
| Minister for Social Services | David Ennals | April 8, 1976 | 4th May 1979 |
| Minister for Social Security | Stanley Orme | April 8, 1976 | 4th May 1979 |
| Minister of Commerce |
Edmund Dell John Smith |
April 8, 1976 November 11, 1978 |
November 11, 1978 May 4, 1979 |
| Transport Minister | Bill Rodgers | September 10, 1976 | 4th May 1979 |
| Minister for Wales | John Morris | April 8, 1976 | 4th May 1979 |
Background literature
- The big Ploetz. The encyclopedia of world history , Verlag Vandenhoeck & Ruprecht, 35th edition, 2008, p. 1512 f., ISBN 978-3-525-32008-2