By Daniel Esson As most Labour governments tend to be, the Wilson ministry of 1964-70 was far from tranquil. Taking power in 1964 with a wafer-thin majority of just four, the Wilson years were a time of significant change in Britain with the trade unions central to debates. Graeter change could have come, if now-forgotten … Continue reading Labour’s Turning Points: The Unions and “In Place of Strife”
James Callaghan
Sunny Jim: How Callaghan won the ‘Heavyweight’ Labour Contest of the 70s
The Labour contest was the first to be fought in thirteen years following the resignation of Harold Wilson. Wilson had given Callaghan a heads up in the days before telling him he ‘should begin to make preparations for the inevitable contest’ The bookmakers priced it as follows: James Callaghan 4/5 Denis Healey 7/4 Tony Crosland … Continue reading Sunny Jim: How Callaghan won the ‘Heavyweight’ Labour Contest of the 70s
Will Corbyn be Prime Minister by Christmas? History Would Suggest Not…
It was in the Summer of 2017 - at the hedonistic setting of Glastonbury - that Jeremy Corbyn predicted he would be Prime Minister by Christmas. He later claimed he would do it within twelve months. Experts now agree that October will be an 'Autumn of Discontent' for the Tories. The door could indeed be opened for … Continue reading Will Corbyn be Prime Minister by Christmas? History Would Suggest Not…
Waiting at the church: Why Callaghan failed to call the 1978 general election
By the summer of 1978, Jim Callaghan had a big decision to make. After four tumultuous years in power, his party had finally nudged ahead in the opinion polls. An election was expected, but to the shock of the world, Callaghan abandoned his plan. It became the most significant miscalculation in Labour's history For most of 1976 … Continue reading Waiting at the church: Why Callaghan failed to call the 1978 general election
The End of a Thousand Years of History – Labour’s Long March To Brexit
Hugh Gaitskell, Barbara Castle, Harold Wilson, James Callaghan, Tony Benn, Neil Kinnock, Tony Blair, Gordon Brown and Jeremy Corbyn all have one thing in common. They have all advocated withdrawal from the EEC/EU at some point in their long political careers. But only Jeremy Corbyn can see it through to fruition. It begs the question, why … Continue reading The End of a Thousand Years of History – Labour’s Long March To Brexit
Tides of History 