text:
James Callaghan

Leonard James Callaghan, Baron Callaghan of Cardiff (27 March 1912 – 26 March 2005), commonly known as Jim Callaghan, was a British statesman and Labour politician who was Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 1976 to 1979 and Leader of the Labour Party from 1976 to 1980. Callaghan is the only person to have held all four Great Offices of State, having also served as Chancellor of the Exchequer from 1964 to 1967, Home Secretary from 1967 to 1970 and Foreign Secretary from 1974 to 1976. He was a Member of Parliament (MP) from 1945 to 1987.

Born into a working-class family in Portsmouth, Callaghan left school early and began his career as a tax inspector, before becoming a trade union official in the 1930s; he served as a lieutenant in the Royal Navy during the Second World War. He was elected to Parliament at the 1945 election, and was regarded as being on the left wing of the Labour Party. He was appointed to the Attlee government as a parliamentary secretary in 1947, and began to move increasingly towards the right wing of the Labour Party, while maintaining his reputation as a "Keeper of the Cloth Cap" – that is, seen as maintaining close ties between Labour and the trade unions. Following Labour's defeat at the 1951 election, Callaghan increasingly became regarded as a leader of the right wing of the Labour Party, and stood for the positions of deputy leader in 1960 and for leader in 1963, but was defeated by George Brown for the former and Harold Wilson for the latter.

Following Labour's victory at the 1964 election, Wilson appointed Callaghan as Chancellor of the Exchequer; this appointment coincided with a turbulent period for the British economy, during which Callaghan had to tackle both a chronic balance of payments deficit and various speculative attacks on the pound sterling, with its exchange rate to other currencies being fixed by the Bretton Woods system. On 18 November 1967, having initially denied that it would do so, the Government devalued the pound sterling. In the wake of the decision, Wilson moved Callaghan to the role of Home Secretary. During this time, Callaghan was responsible for overseeing the operations of the British Army to support the police in Northern Ireland, following a request from the Northern Ireland government. Callaghan remained in the Shadow Cabinet during Labour's period in Opposition from 1970 to 1974; upon Labour's victory at the 1974 election, Wilson appointed Callaghan as Foreign Secretary. Callaghan was responsible for renegotiating the terms of Britain's membership of the European Communities (EC), and strongly supported the successful "Yes" vote campaign in the 1975 referendum, which confirmed the UK's membership of the EC.

When Wilson suddenly announced his retirement in March 1976, Callaghan defeated five other candidates to be elected Leader of the Labour Party; he was appointed prime minister on 5 April 1976. Despite winning a narrow majority in the House of Commons at the 1974 election, Labour had lost this by the time Callaghan became prime minister, and several by-election defeats and defections in his early months forced Callaghan to strike a confidence and supply agreement with the Liberal Party. While this initially proved stable, in the wake of significant industrial disputes and widespread strikes in the 1978–79 "Winter of Discontent", and the defeat of the referendum on devolution for Scotland, led to minor parties joining the Conservatives to pass a motion of no-confidence in Callaghan on 28 March 1979. Although remaining personally popular in opinion polls, Callaghan led Labour to defeat at the 1979 election and was replaced by Margaret Thatcher. The 1979 defeat marked the beginning of 18 years in opposition for the Labour Party, the longest in the history of the party ever since it evolved to become one of the two mainstream British political parties.

Callaghan initially remained as Labour leader, being Leader of the Opposition until November 1980. He attempted to reform the process by which Labour elected its leader. After leaving the leadership, he returned to the backbench, and between 1983 and 1987 was Father of the House of Commons. On retiring from the Commons in 1987, he was elevated to the House of Lords as Baron Callaghan of Cardiff. He died in 2005 at the age of 92, and remains to date the UK's longest-lived former prime minister.

Early life and career
Leonard James Callaghan was born at 38 Funtington Road, Copnor, Portsmouth, England, on 27 March 1912. He took his middle name from his father, James (1877–1921), who was the son of an Irish Catholic father who had fled to England during the Great Irish Famine, and a Jewish mother. Callaghan's father ran away from home in the 1890s to join the Royal Navy; as he was a year too young to enlist, he gave a false date of birth and changed his surname from Garogher to Callaghan so that his true identity could not be traced. He rose to the rate of Chief Petty Officer.

His mother was Charlotte Callaghan ( Cundy, 1879–1961) an English Baptist. As the Catholic Church at the time refused to marry Catholics to members of other denominations, James Callaghan senior abandoned Catholicism and married Charlotte in a Baptist chapel. Their first child was Dorothy Gertrude Callaghan (1904–82).

James Callaghan senior served in the First World War on board the battleship HMS Agincourt. After he was demobbed in 1919, he joined the Coastguard and the family moved to the town of Brixham in Devon, but he died only two years later of a heart attack in 1921 at the age of 44, leaving the family without an income and forced to rely on charity to survive. Their financial situation was improved in 1924 when the first Labour government was elected, and introduced changes allowing Mrs Callaghan to be granted a widow's pension of ten shillings a week, on the basis that her husband's death was partly due to his war service.

In his early years, Callaghan was known by his first name Leonard. When he entered politics in 1945 he decided to be known by his middle name James, and from then on he was referred to as James or Jim. He attended Portsmouth Northern Secondary School. He gained the Senior Oxford Certificate in 1929, but could not afford entrance to university and instead sat the Civil Service entrance exam. At the age of 17, Callaghan left to work as a clerk for the Inland Revenue at Maidstone in Kent. While working at the Inland Revenue, Callaghan joined the Maidstone branch of the Labour Party and the Association of the Officers of Taxes (AOT), a trade union for this branch of the Civil Service; within a year of joining he became the office secretary of the union. In 1932 he passed a Civil Service exam which enabled him to become a senior tax officer, and that same year he became the Kent branch secretary of the AOT. The following year he was elected to the AOT's national executive council. In 1934, he was transferred to Inland Revenue offices in London. Following a merger of unions in 1936, Callaghan was appointed a full-time union official and to the post of assistant secretary of the Inland Revenue Staff Federation (IRSF), and resigned from his Civil Service duties.

During his time working in the Inland Revenue in the early 1930s, Callaghan met his future wife Audrey Moulton, and they were married in July 1938 at Maidstone.

His union position at the IRSF brought Callaghan into contact with Harold Laski, the Chairman of the Labour Party's National Executive Committee and an academic at the London School of Economics. Laski encouraged him to stand for Parliament, although later he requested several times that Callaghan study and lecture at the LSE.

Following the outbreak of World War II, in 1940, Callaghan applied to join the Royal Navy, but was initially turned down on the basis that a Trade Union official was deemed to be a reserved occupation. He was finally allowed to join the Royal Navy Volunteer Reserve as an Ordinary Seaman in 1942. While he trained for his promotion, his medical examination revealed that he was suffering from tuberculosis, so he was admitted to the Royal Naval Hospital Haslar in Gosport near Portsmouth. After he recovered, he was discharged and assigned to duties with the Admiralty in Whitehall. He was assigned to the Japanese section, and wrote a service manual for the Royal Navy The Enemy: Japan. He then served in the East Indies Fleet on board the escort carrier HMS Activity, and was promoted to the rank of lieutenant in April 1944. As of 2024, Callaghan remains the last British prime minister to be an armed forces veteran and the only one ever to have served in the Royal Navy.

While on leave from the Navy, Callaghan was selected as a Parliamentary candidate for Cardiff South: he narrowly won the local party ballot with twelve votes, against the next highest candidate George Thomas, who received eleven. Callaghan had been encouraged to put his name forward for the Cardiff South seat by his friend Dai Kneath, a member of the IRSF National executive from Swansea, who was in turn an associate and friend of the local Labour Party secretary, Bill Headon.

By 1945, he was serving on HMS Queen Elizabeth (1913) in the Indian Ocean. After VE Day, he returned, along with other prospective candidates, to the United Kingdom to stand in the general election.

Parliament and Cabinet
The Labour Party won the overdue general election in a landslide victory on 26 July 1945, bringing Clement Attlee to power, in charge of the first-ever majority Labour government. Callaghan won his Cardiff South seat at the 1945 UK general election (and would hold a Cardiff-area seat continuously until his retirement in 1987). He defeated the sitting Conservative MP, Sir Arthur Evans, by 17,489 votes to 11,545. He campaigned on such issues as the rapid demobilisation of the armed forces and for a new housing construction programme. He stood on the left wing of the Party, and was a vocal critic of the United States in 1945, joining 22 other rebels in voting against accepting the Anglo-American loan. Callaghan did not join the Keep Left group of left-wing Labour MPs, but he did sign a letter in 1947 with 20 other MPs from the group calling for a 'socialist foreign policy' which would create an alternative to the ruthless capitalism of the United States and the totalitarian Bolshevism of the USSR.

Callaghan was soon appointed parliamentary secretary to the Ministry of Transport in 1947 where, advised by the young chief constable of Hertfordshire, Sir Arthur Young, his term saw important improvements in road safety, notably the introduction of zebra crossings, and an extension in the use of cat's eyes. He moved to be parliamentary and financial secretary to the Admiralty from 1950, where he was a delegate to the Council of Europe and resisted plans for a European army.

Callaghan was popular with Labour MPs, and was elected to the Shadow Cabinet every year while the Labour Party was in opposition from 1951 to 1964. He was now a staunch Gaitskellite on the Labour right wing. He was Parliamentary Adviser to the Police Federation from 1955 to 1960 when he negotiated an increase in police pay with then-General Secretary Arthur Charles Evans. He ran for the Deputy Leadership of the party in 1960 as an opponent of unilateral nuclear disarmament, and despite the other candidate of the Labour right (George Brown) agreeing with him on this policy, he forced Brown to a second vote. In November 1961, Callaghan became Shadow Chancellor. When Hugh Gaitskell died in January 1963, Callaghan ran to succeed him, but came third in the leadership contest, which was won by Harold Wilson. However, he did gain the support of right-wingers, such as Denis Healey and Anthony Crosland, who wanted to prevent Wilson from being elected leader but who also did not trust George Brown.

Chancellor of the Exchequer, 1964–1967
In October 1964, Conservative Prime Minister Sir Alec Douglas-Home (who had only been in power for twelve months since the resignation of Harold Macmillan) was forced to call a general election, the parliament being about to expire. Labour won a narrow majority, gaining 56 seats for a total of 317 to the Conservatives' 304. The new Labour government under Harold Wilson immediately faced economic problems; Wilson acted within his first hours to appoint Callaghan as the new chancellor of the Exchequer. The previous chancellor, Reginald Maudling, had initiated fiscally expansionary measures which had helped create a pre-election economic boom; by greatly increasing domestic demand this had caused imports to grow much faster than exports, thus when Labour entered government they faced a balance of payments deficit of £800,000,000, and an immediate sterling crisis. Both Wilson and Callaghan took a strong stance against devaluation of sterling, partly due to the perception that the devaluation carried out by the previous Labour government in 1949 had contributed to that government's downfall. The alternative to devaluation, however, was a series of austerity measures designed to reduce demand in the economy in order to reduce imports, and to stabilise the balance of payments and the value of sterling.

Just ten days after taking up his post, Callaghan immediately introduced a 15% surcharge on imports, with the exception of foodstuffs and raw materials. This measure was intended to tackle the balance of payments deficit; however, it caused an uproar amongst Britain's international trading partners. The outcry was so intense that it caused the government to announce that the surcharge was a temporary measure. Callaghan later admitted in his autobiography that he could have handled the matter better, and in his haste to tackle the balance of payments problem, had failed to consult foreign governments.

On 11 November, Callaghan gave his first budget and announced increases in income tax, petrol tax and the introduction of a new capital gains tax, actions which most economists deemed necessary to take the heat out of the balance and sterling deficit. In line with Labour's manifesto commitments, the budget also contained social measures to increase the state pension and the widows pension; measures which were disliked by the City and speculators, causing a run on the pound. On 23 November, it was decided to increase the bank rate from 2% to 7%, which generated a large amount of criticism. Handling the situation was made more difficult by the attitude of Lord Cromer, the Governor of the Bank of England, who argued against the fiscal policies of the new Labour government. When Callaghan and Wilson threatened to call a new general election, the governor soon raised a £3,000,000,000 loan to stabilise the reserves and the deficit.

His second budget came on 6 April 1965, in which he announced efforts to deflate the economy and reduce home import demand by £250,000,000. Shortly afterwards, the bank rate was reduced from 7% down to 6%. For a brief time, the economy and British financial market stabilised, allowing in June for Callaghan to visit the United States and to discuss the state of the British economy with President Lyndon B. Johnson and the International Monetary Fund (IMF).

In July, the pound came under extreme pressure and Callaghan was forced to create harsh temporary measures to demonstrate control of the economy. These include delaying all current government building projects and postponing new pension plans. The alternative was to allow the pound to float or to devalue it. Callaghan and Wilson, however, were again adamant that a devaluation of the pound would create new social and economic problems and continued to take a firm stance against it. The government continued to struggle both with the economy and with the slender majority which, by 1966, had been reduced to one. On 28 February, Harold Wilson formally announced an election for 31 March 1966. On 1 March, Callaghan gave a 'little budget' to the Commons and announced the historic decision that the UK would adopt decimal currency. (It was actually not until 1971, under a Conservative government, that the United Kingdom moved from the system of pounds, shillings and pence to a decimal system of 100 pence to the pound.) He also announced a short-term mortgage scheme which allowed low-wage earners to maintain mortgage schemes in the face of economic difficulties. Soon afterwards, at the 1966 general election, Labour won 363 seats compared to 252 seats against the Conservatives, giving the Labour government an increased majority of 97 seats.

Callaghan introduced his next Budget on 4 May. He had informed the house that he would bring a full Budget to the House when he made his 'little budget' speech prior to the election. The main point of his budget was the introduction of a Selective Employment Tax, penalising the service industry and favouring the manufacturing industry. Twelve days after the budget, the National Union of Seamen called a national strike and the problems facing Sterling were multiplied. Additional strikes caused the balance of payments deficit to increase. However, a £3,300,000,000 loan from Swiss banks was due by the end of the year. On 14 July, the bank rate was increased again to seven percent, and on 20 July Callaghan announced a ten-point emergency package to deal with the crisis which included further tax rises and a six-month freeze on wage increases. By early 1967, the economy had begun to stabilise once again with the balance of payments moving into equilibrium, the bank rate was reduced to 6% in March and 5.5% in May.

It was under these conditions that Callaghan beat Michael Foot in a vote to become Treasurer of the Labour Party.

The economy was soon in turmoil again by June, with the Six-Day War in the Middle East. Several Arab countries, such as Kuwait and Iraq, announced an oil embargo against Britain, accusing it of intervening on the Israeli side in the conflict, resulting in a rise in oil prices which had a disastrous effect on the balance of payments. Furthermore, the economy was hit in mid-September when a national dock strike lasted for eight weeks. The final straw, however, was an EEC report which suggested that the pound could not be sustained as a reserve currency and it was suggested again that the pound should be devalued. Callaghan responded by pointing out that, had it not been for the Middle East crisis, Britain would have been heading for a balance of payments surplus in 1967. However, rumours that devaluation was on the cards led to heavy selling of Sterling on world markets. Wilson and Callaghan refused a contingency fund offered from the IMF because of several conditions attached which they believed would allow the IMF to interfere with economic policy. On Wednesday 15 November, the historic decision was taken to commit the government to a 14.3% devaluation from the existing fixed exchange rate of $2.80 to the pound, to $2.40 to the pound. They intended to announce the decision publicly on the 18th. However, in the run up to the public announcement, Callaghan found himself in a tricky situation when answering questions in the House of Commons: One backbencher Robert Sheldon tabled a motion concerning a rumour that Britain would be receiving a loan from banks. Callaghan did not wish to lie to the Commons, but at the same time going public about the devaluation decision before the 18th would be financially disastrous for the country. He answered the initial question by stating that he did not comment on rumours. However a follow-up question was made by Stan Orme suggesting that devaluation was preferable to deflation, which caused a major problem. Callaghan replied that he had "nothing to add or subtract from, anything I have said on previous occasions on the subject of devaluation"... Speculators seized on the fact that he had not denied there would be a devaluation and started selling Sterling. Over the next 24 hours, the flight from Sterling cost the country £1,500 million. The situation was a great political controversy at the time. As Denis Healey in his autobiography notes:"Nowadays exchange rates can swing to and fro continually by amount greater than that, without attracting much attention outside the City columns of the newspapers. It may be difficult to understand how great a political humiliation this devaluation appeared at the time—above all to Wilson and his Chancellor, Jim Callaghan, who felt he must resign over it. Callaghan's personal distress was increased by a careless answer he gave to a backbencher's question two days before the formal devaluation. This cost Britain several hundred million pounds."

Before the devaluation, Jim Callaghan had announced publicly to the Press and the House of Commons that he would not devalue, something he later said was necessary to maintain confidence in the pound and avoid creating jitters in the financial markets. Callaghan immediately offered his resignation as chancellor, and increasing political opposition forced Wilson to accept it. Wilson then moved Roy Jenkins, the home secretary, to be chancellor; Callaghan became the new home secretary on 30 November 1967.

Home secretary, 1967–1970
Callaghan's tenure as home secretary was marked by the emerging conflict in Northern Ireland and it was as home secretary that he took the decision to deploy British Army troops in the province after a request from the Ulster Unionist Government of Northern Ireland.

Callaghan was also responsible for the Commonwealth Immigrants Act 1968, a controversial piece of legislation prompted by Conservative assertions that an influx of Kenyan Asians would soon inundate the country. It passed through the Commons in a week and placed entry controls on holders of British passports who had "no substantial connection" with Britain by setting up a new system. In his memoirs Time and Chance, Callaghan wrote that introducing the Commonwealth Immigrants Bill had been an unwelcome task but that he did not regret it. He said the Asians had "discovered a loophole" and he told a BBC interviewer: "Public opinion in this country was extremely agitated, and the consideration that was in my mind was how we could preserve a proper sense of order in this country and, at the same time, do justice to these people – I had to balance both considerations". An opponent of the Act, Conservative MP Ian Gilmour, said that it was "brought in to keep the blacks out. If it had been the case that it was 5,000 white settlers who were coming in, the newspapers and politicians, Callaghan included, who were making all the fuss would have been quite pleased".

Also significant was the passing of the Race Relations Act in the same year, making it illegal to refuse employment, housing or education on the basis of ethnic background. The Act extended the powers of the Race Relations Board at the time, to deal with complaints of discrimination and unfair attitudes. It also set up a new supervisory body, the Community Relations Commission, to promote "harmonious community relations". Presenting the Bill to Parliament, Callaghan said: "The House has rarely faced an issue of greater social significance for our country and our children."

In 1969, Callaghan, a strong supporter of the Labour–Trade Union link, led the successful opposition in a divided cabinet to Barbara Castle's White Paper "In Place of Strife" which sought to modify trade union law. Amongst its numerous proposals were plans to force unions to call a ballot before a strike was held and the establishment of an Industrial Board to enforce settlements in industrial disputes. If the proposals had become law, many of the activities of the trades unions during the Winter of Discontent a decade later would have been illegal.

Following Wilson's unexpected defeat by Edward Heath at the 1970 general election, Callaghan declined to challenge him for the leadership, despite Wilson's vulnerability. This did much to rehabilitate him in Wilson's eyes. He was in charge of drawing up a new policy statement in 1972 which contained the idea of the Social Contract between the government and trade unions. He also did much to ensure that Labour opposed the Heath government's bid to enter the Common Market – forcing Wilson's hand by making his personal opposition clear without consulting the party leader.

Foreign secretary, 1974–1976

When Wilson won the next general election and returned as prime minister in March 1974, he appointed Callaghan as Foreign Secretary which gave him responsibility for renegotiating the terms of the United Kingdom's membership of the Common Market. When the talks concluded, Callaghan led the Cabinet in declaring the new terms acceptable and he supported a "Yes" vote in the 1975 referendum. He was awarded the Freedom of the City of Cardiff on 16 March 1975.

1976 leadership election
Barely two years after beginning his second spell as prime minister, Wilson announced his surprise resignation on 16 March 1976, and unofficially endorsed Callaghan as his successor. Callaghan was the favourite to win the leadership election; although he was the oldest candidate, he was also the most experienced and least divisive. Popularity with all parts of the Labour movement saw him through the ballot of Labour MPs to win the leadership vote. On 5 April 1976, at the age of 64 years and 9 days, Callaghan became prime minister – the oldest prime minister at time of appointment since Winston Churchill.

Prime Minister of the United Kingdom: 1976–1979
Callaghan was the only prime minister to have held all three leading Cabinet positions – chancellor of the exchequer, home secretary and foreign secretary – prior to becoming prime minister.

During his first year in office, Callaghan started what has since become known as 'The Great Debate', when he spoke at Ruskin College, Oxford, about the 'legitimate concerns' of the public about the quality of education in the nation's maintained schools. This discussion led to greater involvement of the government, through its ministries, in the curriculum and administration of state education, leading to the eventual introduction of the National curriculum some ten years later. Early in his premiership he caused controversy with the appointment of Peter Jay, his then son-in-law as the British Ambassador to the United States.

Callaghan's time as prime minister was dominated by the troubles in running a government with a minority in the House of Commons: he was forced to make deals with minor parties to survive – including the Lib–Lab pact – and he had been forced to accept the 1979 Scottish devolution referendum as well as the 1979 Welsh devolution referendum (the former went in favour but did not reach the required majority, and the latter went heavily against). He became prime minister at a time when Britain was experiencing double-digit inflation and rising unemployment. He responded to the economic crises by adopting deflationary policies, and cutting public expenditure – a precursor of the monetarist economic policies that the next government, a Conservative one led by Margaret Thatcher, would pursue to ease the crises.

Despite the economic difficulties faced by the government, over the summer of 1978 (shortly after the end of the Lib–Lab pact) most opinion polls showed Labour ahead, and the expectation grew that Callaghan would call an autumn election that would have given him a second term in office until autumn 1983. The economy had also started to show signs of recovery by this time. 1978 was a year of economic recovery for Britain, with inflation falling to single digits, unemployment declining during the year, and general living standards going up by more than 8%. Famously, he strung along the opposition and was expected to make his declaration of election in a broadcast on 7 September 1978. His decision not to call an election was seen by many as a sign of his dominance of the political scene and he ridiculed his opponents by singing old-time music hall star Vesta Victoria's song "Waiting at the Church" at that month's Trades Union Congress meeting. This was celebrated by the TUC but has since been interpreted as a moment of hubris. Callaghan intended to convey the message that he had not promised an election, but many at the conference misinterpreted it. The next day (6 September 1978), the conference voted to set up an election fund, and The Times reported that the cabinet meeting scheduled for 7 September 1978 would see an announcement of a general election on 5 October 1978.

Winter of Discontent
Callaghan's method of dealing with the long-term economic difficulties involved pay restraint, which had been operating for four years with reasonable success. He gambled that a fifth year would further improve the economy and allow him to be re-elected in 1979, and so he attempted to hold pay rises to 5% or less. The trade unions rejected continued pay restraint and in a succession of strikes over the winter of 1978–79 (known as the Winter of Discontent) secured higher pay. The industrial unrest made his government unpopular, and Callaghan's response to one interview question only made it worse. Returning to the United Kingdom from the Guadeloupe Conference in January 1979, Callaghan was asked, "What is your general approach, in view of the mounting chaos in the country at the moment?" Callaghan replied, "Well, that's a judgement that you are making. I promise you that if you look at it from outside, and perhaps you're taking rather a parochial view at the moment, I don't think that other people in the world would share the view that there is mounting chaos." This reply was reported in The Sun under the headline "Crisis? What Crisis?". Callaghan also later admitted in regard to the Winter of Discontent that he had "let the country down".

The Winter of Discontent saw Labour's performance in the opinion polls slump dramatically. They had topped most of the pre-winter opinion polls by several points, but in February 1979 at least one opinion poll was showing the Conservatives 20 points ahead of Labour and it appeared inevitable that Labour would lose the forthcoming election.

In the buildup to the election, the Daily Mirror and The Guardian supported Labour, while The Sun, the Daily Mail, the Daily Express, and The Daily Telegraph supported the Conservatives.

On 28 March 1979, the House of Commons passed a motion of no-confidence by one vote, 311–310, which forced Callaghan to call a general election that was held on 3 May. The Conservatives under Margaret Thatcher ran a campaign on the slogan "Labour Isn't Working" and won the election. Callaghan agreed to a proposal by Brian Walden, a former Labour MP who was by then a broadcaster, to take part in two televised debates with Margaret Thatcher to be produced by LWT with the intention that they would be broadcast on ITV on 22 and 29 April 1979. At the insistence of the Liberal Party, their leader David Steel was also invited to take participate in the proposed debates, and he also quickly accepted the offer. However Mrs Thatcher ultimately rejected the approach to take part in the debates, citing among other reasons her belief that the election was for a government, not a president. Her refusal meant that the debates did not go ahead.

Callaghan's failure to call an election during 1978 was widely seen as a political miscalculation; indeed, he himself later admitted that not calling an election was an error of judgement. However, private polling by the Labour Party in the autumn of 1978 had shown the two main parties with about the same level of support. After losing power in 1979, Labour spent the next 18 years in opposition, pejoratively described as the period in wilderness for the party.

Resignation, backbenches and retirement
Notwithstanding electoral defeat, Callaghan stayed on as Labour leader until 15 October 1980, shortly after the party conference had voted for a new system of election by electoral college involving the individual members and trade unions. His resignation ensured that his successor would be elected by MPs only. Following a campaign that laid bare the deep internal divisions of the parliamentary Labour Party, Michael Foot narrowly defeated Denis Healey on 10 November in the second round of the election to succeed Callaghan as party leader. Foot had been a relatively late entrant to the contest and his decision to stand ended the chances of Peter Shore. The subsequent election of Foot as his successor plunged Labour into a near existential crisis. Following Callaghan's resignation, Labour started floundering apart and entered a period of internecine strife leading to the vertical split that founded the SDP. The Labour Party barely emerged unscathed in the 1983 general election with 209 seats. The voteshare of the party dipped to 27% (nearly 10% less than what it had received in 1979), the lowest since the 1918 election.

In 1982, along with his friend Gerald Ford, he co-founded the annual AEI World Forum.

In 1983, he attacked Labour's plans to reduce defence, and the same year became Father of the House as the longest continually-serving member of the Commons.

In 1987, he was made a Knight Companion of the Garter and stood down at the 1987 general election after 42 years as an MP. He was one of the last remaining MPs elected in the Labour landslide of 1945. Shortly afterwards, he was elevated to the House of Lords on 5 November 1987 as a life peer with the title Baron Callaghan of Cardiff, of the City of Cardiff in the County of South Glamorgan. In 1987, his autobiography, Time and Chance, was published. He also served as a non-executive director of the Bank of Wales.

His wife Audrey, a former chairman (1969–82) of Great Ormond Street Hospital, spotted a letter to a newspaper which pointed out that the copyright of Peter Pan, which had been assigned by J. M. Barrie to the hospital, was going to expire at the end of that year, 1987 (50 years after Barrie's death, the then-current copyright term). In 1988, Callaghan moved an amendment to the Copyright Designs & Patents Act, then under consideration in the House of Lords, to grant the hospital a right to royalty in perpetuity despite the lapse of copyright, and it was passed by the government.

Tony Benn recorded in his diary entry of 3 April 1997 that during the 1997 general election campaign, Callaghan was telephoned by a volunteer at Labour headquarters asking him if he would be willing to become more active in the party. According to Benn:"One young woman in her mid-twenties rang up Jim Callaghan and said to him on the phone, 'Have you ever thought of being a bit more active in politics?' So Callaghan said, 'Well I was a Labour Prime Minister – what more could I do?'"

During an interview broadcast on the BBC Radio 4 programme The Human Button, Callaghan became the only prime minister to go on record with his opinion on ordering a retaliation in the event of a nuclear attack on the United Kingdom:"'If it were to become necessary or vital, it would have meant the deterrent had failed, because the value of the nuclear weapon is frankly only as a deterrent', he said. 'But if we had got to that point, where it was, I felt, necessary to do it, then I would have done it. I've had terrible doubts, of course, about this. I say to you, if I had lived after having pressed that button, I could never, ever have forgiven myself.'"

In October 1999, Callaghan told The Oldie Magazine that he would not be surprised to be considered as Britain's worst prime minister in 200 years. He also said in this interview that he "must carry the can" for the Winter of Discontent.

Personal life
Callaghan's interests included rugby (he played lock for Streatham RFC before the Second World War), tennis and agriculture. He married Audrey Elizabeth Moulton, whom he had met when they both worked as Sunday School teachers at the local Baptist church, in July 1938 and had three children – one son and two daughters.
 * Margaret, Baroness Jay of Paddington, who married first Peter Jay and later Professor Mike Adler.
 * Julia, who married Ian Hamilton Hubbard and settled in Lancashire
 * Michael, who married Jennifer Morris and settled in Essex.

Although there is much doubt about how much belief Callaghan retained into adult life, the Baptist nonconformist ethic was a profound influence throughout all of his public and private life. It is claimed that Callaghan was an atheist, who lost his belief in God while he was working as a trade union official. His son Michael Callaghan disagrees: "My father, Jim Callaghan, was brought up as a practising Baptist and as a young man was a Sunday school teacher. As a young man embracing socialism he had difficulties reconciling his new beliefs with the teachings of his church, but he was persuaded to stay in his Baptist chapel. [...] Incidentally, the title of his autobiography is 'Time and Chance', a quote from Ecclesiastes 9:11."

One of his final public appearances came on 29 April 2002, when shortly after his 90th birthday, he sat alongside the then-Prime Minister Tony Blair and three other surviving former prime ministers at the time – Edward Heath, Margaret Thatcher and John Major at Buckingham Palace for a dinner which formed part of the celebrations for the Golden Jubilee of Elizabeth II, alongside his daughter Margaret, Baroness Jay, who had served as leader of the House of Lords from 1998 until 2001.

Death

Callaghan died on 26 March 2005 at his home in Ringmer, East Sussex, of lobar pneumonia, cardiac failure and kidney failure, the day before his 93rd birthday. He died just 11 days after his wife of 67 years, who had spent the last four years of her life in a nursing home due to Alzheimer's disease. He died as Britain's longest-lived former prime minister, having surpassed Harold Macmillan's record 39 days earlier. Callaghan died 4 months before former Prime Minister Edward Heath.

Lord Callaghan was cremated, and his ashes were scattered in a flowerbed around the base of the Peter Pan statue near the entrance of London's Great Ormond Street Hospital, where his wife had formerly been chair of the board of governors.

His Order of the Garter Banner was transferred from St George's Chapel, Windsor Castle to Llandaff Cathedral in Cardiff following his death.

Historiography
His contribution and legacy are still contested. The left-wing of the Labour Party considers him a traitor whose betrayals of true socialism laid the foundations for Thatcherism. They point to his decision in 1976 to allow the IMF to control the government budget. They accuse him of abandoning the traditional Labour commitment to full employment. They blame his rigorous pursuit of a policy of controlling income growth for the Winter of Discontent. Writers on the right of the Labour Party complained that he was a weak leader who was unable to stand up to the left. New Labour writers who admire Tony Blair, identify him with the old-style partisanship that was a dead end, and which a new generation of modernisers had to repudiate.

Practically all commentators agree that Callaghan made a serious mistake by not calling an election in the autumn of 1978. Bernard Donoughue, a senior official in his government, depicts Callaghan as a strong and efficient administrator who stood heads above [sic] his predecessor Harold Wilson. The standard scholarly biography by Kenneth O. Morgan is generally favourable – at least for the middle of his premiership – while admitting failures at the beginning, at the end, and in his leadership role following Margaret Thatcher's victory. The treatment found in most textbooks and surveys of the period remains largely negative.

Historians Alan Sked and Chris Cook have summarised the general consensus of historians regarding Labour in power in the 1970s:

"If Wilson's record as prime minister was soon felt to have been one of failure, that sense of failure was powerfully reinforced by Callaghan's term as premier. Labour, it seemed, was incapable of positive achievements. It was unable to control inflation, unable to control the unions, unable to solve the Irish problem, unable to solve the Rhodesian question, unable to secure its proposals for Welsh and Scottish devolution, unable to reach a popular modus vivendi with the Common Market, unable even to maintain itself in power until it could go to the country at the date of its own choosing. It was little wonder, therefore, that Mrs Thatcher resoundingly defeated it in 1979."

Books by Callaghan

 * Callaghan, James. Time and Chance. Collins, 1987.
 * Callaghan, James. Challenges and Opportunities for British Foreign Policy . Fabian Society, 1975.

Biographies and studies

 * Ashton, Nigel. "‘A Local Terrorist Made Good’: the Callaghan government and the Arab–Israeli peace process, 1977–79". Contemporary British History 31.1 (2017): 114–135 online.
 * Bell, Patrick. The Labour Party in Opposition 1970–1974 (Routledge, 2012).
 * Byrne, Christopher, Nick Randall, and Kevin Theakston. "The Collapse of Keynesian Welfarism 1970–1979: Heath, Wilson, Callaghan." in Disjunctive Prime Ministerial Leadership in British Politics (Palgrave Pivot, Cham, 2020). 51–83.
 * Childs, David. Britain since 1945: A Political History (7th edn 2012), pp. 190–212.
 * Conroy, Harry. James Callaghan (Haus, 2006).
 * Dell, Edmund. The Chancellors: A History of the Chancellors of the Exchequer, 1945–90 (HarperCollins, 1997), pp. 304–46, covers his term as Chancellor.
 * Denver, David, and Mark Garnett. British General Elections Since 1964: Diversity, Dealignment, and Disillusion (2014)
 * Derbyshire, Dennis. Politics in Britain: From Callaghan to Thatcher (Political Spotlights). (Chambers, 1990).
 * Deveney, Paul J. Callaghan's Journey to Downing Street (2010), scholarly study to 1976. excerpt
 * Donoughue, Bernard. Prime Minister: Conduct of Policy Under Harold Wilson and James Callaghan, 1974–79 (Jonathan Cape, 1987).
 * Dorey, Peter. "‘Should I stay or should I go?’: James Callaghan's decision not to call an autumn 1978 general election". British Politics (2016) 11#1 pp 95–118. abstract
 * Dorey, Peter. A Rather Novel Constitutional Experiment': The Formation of the 1977–8 'Lib–Lab Pact. Parliamentary History 30#3 (2011): 374–394.
 * Donoughue, Bernard. The Heat of the Kitchen (Politico's Publishing, 2003).
 * Hay, Colin. "The winter of discontent thirty years on." The Political Quarterly 80.4 (2009): 545–552.
 * Hennessy, Peter. The Prime Minister: the office and its holders since 1945 (Palgrave Macmillan, 2001), pp. 376–96.
 * Hickson, Kevin, and Jasper Miles, eds. James Callaghan: An Underrated Prime Minister? (Biteback, 2020) excerpt
 * Hickson, Kevin, and Anthony Seldon, eds. New Labour, Old Labour: The Wilson and Callaghan Governments 1974–1979 (Routledge, 2004).
 * Holmes, Martin. The Labour government, 1974–79: political aims and economic reality (Macmillan, 1985).
 * Hughes, R. Gerald, et al. "Labour's Defence and Foreign Policy, 1976-79." in James Callaghan: An Underrated Prime Minister? (Biteback, 2020) pp. 235–258.
 * Jefferys, Kevin (ed). Leading Labour (I. B. Tauris, 1999).
 * Jones, Tudor. Remaking the Labour Party: From Gaitskell to Blair (Routledge, 2005).
 * Kirkup, Jonathan, ed. The Lib-Lab Pact: A Parliamentary Agreement, 1977–78 (2014) excerpt
 * Marsh, Steve. "Wilson, Callaghan and the management of Anglo-American relations, 1974-1976." Contemporary British History (2020): 1–26. https://doi.org/10.1080/13619462.2020.1785292
 * Meredith, Stephen. "The oratory of James Callaghan." in Labour orators from Bevan to Miliband (Manchester University Press, 2016) online.
 * Meredith, Stephen. Labours old and new: the parliamentary right of the British Labour Party 1970–79 and the roots of New Labour (Oxford University Press, 2008).
 * Morgan, Kenneth O. Callaghan: A Life (Oxford University Press, 1997). excerpt
 * Morgan, Kenneth O. Britain since 1945: The People's Peace (2nd edn 2001), pp. 397–433.
 * Pryce, Sue. "James Callaghan 1976–9: A Caretaker." in Sue Pryce, Presidentializing the Premiership (Palgrave Macmillan, 1997), pp. 147–162.
 * Rodgers, William. "Government under Stress. Britain'S Winter of Discontent 1979". The Political Quarterly 55#2 (1984): 171–179.
 * Rogers, Chris. "Economic policy and the problem of sterling under Harold Wilson and James Callaghan." Contemporary British History 25#3 (2011): 339–363.
 * Rosen, Greg. Dictionary of Labour Biography (Politico's Publishing, 2001).
 * Rosen, Greg. Old Labour to New (Politico's Publishing, 2005).
 * Shepherd, John. "The Fall of the Callaghan Government, 1979." in How Labour Governments Fall: From Ramsay Macdonald to Gordon Brown (London: Palgrave Macmillan UK, 2013). 113-140.
 * Shepherd, John.  Crisis? what crisis? : the Callaghan government and the British winter of discontent (Manchester University Press, 2013).
 * Sked, Alan and Chris Cook. Post-War Britain: A Political History (4th edn 1993), pp. 312–28.
 * Thomas, James. "‘Bound in by history’: The Winter of Discontent in British politics, 1979–2004." Media, Culture & Society 29#2 (2007): 263–283.
 * Turner, Alwyn. Crisis? What Crisis?: Britain in the 1970s (2013), pp. 181–204.
 * Wass, Douglas. Decline to Fall: The Making of British Macro-economic Policy and the 1976 IMF Crisis (2008)

Memoirs

 * Healey, Denis. The Time of My Life. Michael Joseph, 1989.

license: Creative Commons - Attribution Share-Alike - https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/

title: James Callaghan


text:
Ben Elton

Benjamin Charles Elton (born 3 May 1959) is a British comedian, actor, author, playwright, lyricist and director. He was a part of London's alternative comedy movement of the 1980s and became a writer on the sitcoms The Young Ones and Blackadder, as well as continuing as a stand-up comedian on stage and television. His style in the 1980s was left-wing political satire. Since then he has published 17 novels and written the musicals The Beautiful Game (2000), We Will Rock You (2002), Tonight's the Night (2003), and Love Never Dies (2010), the sequel to The Phantom of the Opera. His novels cover the dystopian, comedy, and crime genres.

Early life and education
Elton was born at University College Hospital in Fitzrovia, London, the son of Mary (née Foster), an English teacher from Cheshire, and physicist and educational researcher Professor Lewis Elton. He is a nephew of the historian Sir Geoffrey Elton and a third cousin of singer Olivia Newton-John. Elton's father is from a German-Jewish family and Elton's mother, who was raised in the Church of England, is of British background.

Elton grew up in Catford, south London, before moving with his family to Guildford, Surrey in 1968, where he became involved in amateur dramatics groups. Reflecting on those times at an event in Guildford in 2013, Elton said: "I started with the Curtain Raisers in Onslow Village. Yes, we did Peter Pan in 1969 and mum persuaded me to go along to the audition. For me it was literally an Epiphany. My road to Damascus was Friar’s Gate. I had an absolute revelation. I loved the theatre and I knew I wanted to be involved in story telling and the public arts. From that moment onwards I was completely hooked."Raised in a loving non-religious home, he is an atheist. Elton studied at Stillness Junior School and Godalming Grammar School in Surrey, before leaving home at age 16 to study theatre at South Warwickshire College in Stratford-upon-Avon, where he took and passed A-levels in English, History and Theatre Studies. In 1977 he went to study drama at the University of Manchester, where he met Rik Mayall and Ade Edmondson, and in 1980 he graduated with upper second-class honours.

Television
Upon university graduation in 1980, Elton joined the BBC and became their youngest ever scriptwriter.

His first television appearance came in 1981 as a stand-up performer on the BBC1 youth and music programme Oxford Road Show. His first TV success, at 23, came as co-writer of the television sitcom The Young Ones, in which he occasionally appeared.

In 1983/84 he wrote and appeared in Granada Television's sketch show Alfresco, which was also notable for early appearances by Stephen Fry, Hugh Laurie, Emma Thompson and Robbie Coltrane. In 1985, Elton produced his first solo script for the BBC with his comedy-drama series Happy Families, starring Jennifer Saunders and Adrian Edmondson. Elton appeared in the fifth episode as a liberal prison governor. Shortly afterwards, he reunited Rik Mayall and Edmondson with their Young Ones co-star Nigel Planer for the showbiz send-up sitcom Filthy, Rich & Catflap.

In 1985 Elton began his writing partnership with Richard Curtis. Together they wrote Blackadder II, Blackadder the Third (in one episode, Elton appeared as a bomb-wielding anarchist), Blackadder Goes Forth and a failed sitcom pilot for Madness. Blackadder, starring Rowan Atkinson, was a worldwide hit, winning four BAFTAs and an Emmy.

Elton and Curtis were inspired to write Blackadder Goes Forth upon finding World War I to be apt for a situation comedy. This series, which dealt with greater, darker themes than prior Blackadder episodes, was praised for Curtis's and Elton's scripts, in particular the final episode. Before writing the series, the pair read about the war and found that: "All the lead up to the first World War was very funny. All the people coming from communities where they'd never bumped into posh people and all being so gung ho and optimistic. The first hundred pages of any book about the world war are hilarious, then of course everybody dies."

Elton and Curtis also wrote Atkinson's 1986 stage show The New Revue, and Mr. Bean's "exam" episode.

Elton became a stand-up comedian primarily to showcase his own writing, but became one of Britain's biggest live comedy acts. After a regular slot on Saturday Live – later moved and renamed Friday Night Live  – which was seen as a UK version of the US's Saturday Night Live, he became the host of the programme.

In 1990 he starred in his own stand-up comedy and sketch series, Ben Elton: The Man from Auntie, which had a second series in 1994. (The title plays on The Man from UNCLE: "Auntie" is a nickname for the BBC.) In 1989 Elton won the Royal Television Society Writers' Award.

The Ben Elton Show (1998) followed a format similar to The Man from Auntie and featured Ronnie Corbett, a comedian of the old guard that the "alternative comedians" of the 1980s were the direct alternative to, as a regular guest. It was Elton's last high-profile network programme in the UK as a stand-up comedian.

Elton wrote the six-part sitcom Blessed, starring Ardal O'Hanlon as a record producer, first broadcast on BBC1 in 2005. No further series was commissioned.

In April 2007, Get a Grip, a new show, began on ITV1. Featuring comic sketches similar to those on The Ben Elton Show and staged studio discussion between Elton and 23-year-old Alexa Chung, the show's aim was to "contrast Elton's middle-aged viewpoint with Chung's younger perspective" (although Elton was responsible for the scripts).

In Third Way Magazine, Elton accused the BBC of allowing jokes about vicars but not imams. "And I believe that part of it is due to the genuine fear that the authorities and the communities have about provoking the radical elements of Islam".

On 10 October 2010, Elton headlined the first episode of Dave's One Night Stand.

Elton worked on Ben Elton Live From Planet Earth, a live one-hour comedy show which debuted on 8 February 2011 on the Nine Network in Australia. Live from Planet Earth was axed by the Nine Network on Wednesday 23 February 2011 after three episodes, despite having six commissioned. The show's final airing rated 200,000 viewers.

In 2016 Elton wrote the sitcom Upstart Crow, parodying the writing and family life of William Shakespeare, and starring David Mitchell as Shakespeare. This programme ran for a second series in 2017, and a third series in 2018.

In June 2023, Elton presented Ben Elton: The Great Railway Disaster, a Channel 4 documentary about rail privatisation.

As writer and producer
Elton wrote and produced The Thin Blue Line, a studio-based sitcom set in a police station, also starring Rowan Atkinson, which ran for two series in 1995 and 1996. A prime-time family show, its traditional format and characters won it the 1995 British Comedy Award and both the public and professional Jury Awards at Reims.

In 2012 a new sitcom for BBC1 was commissioned, written and produced by Elton starring David Haig. Filming for a full six-part series of the sitcom The Wright Way (formerly known as Slings and Arrows) was completed in late February 2013. It debuted in April 2013 to negative reviews.

Friday Night Live

Elton returned to live British television on Channel 4 on 21 October 2022 as "Ringmaster"/host of a revival of Friday Night Live, celebrating the 40th anniversary of the founding of Channel 4 and as part of their Truth and Dare season. Speaking to Adrian Chiles on BBC Radio 5 Live on broadcast day, Elton readily admitted that because of the fluid UK political situation, "I honestly haven't written the first five minutes yet!"

Radio
Elton starred with Adrian Edmondson in a sitcom based on the song "Teenage Kicks" for BBC Radio 2. A television version of Teenage Kicks for ITV has been made; Elton appeared in the pilot but was replaced by Mark Arden when it went to series production.

Novels
He has written 16 novels since 1989, the first four published by Simon and Schuster, and the rest by Transworld. On a publicity tour for Past Mortem in 2004, Elton mused on the high school reunion theme and his own drama college reunion: "We'd had a very happy time all together, so there were no old scores to be settled really, we'd been a pretty happy bunch. And yet one person, who'd been a bit of a golden boy – he certainly went out with a girl I was besotted and unrequitedly in love with – he came up and he said, 'Why did you come? Was it to show off?' That really surprised me, that anyone would think that ... he came kind of carrying my agenda. It was weird. I hasten to add I didn't think my life to be more successful than anybody else's. If you're happy and honest and fulfilled in what you do, then you're having a successful life."
 * Stark (1989)
 * Gridlock (1991)
 * This Other Eden (1993)
 * Popcorn (1996)
 * Blast from the Past (1998)
 * Inconceivable (1999)
 * Dead Famous (2001)
 * High Society (2002)
 * Past Mortem (2004)
 * The First Casualty (2005)
 * Chart Throb (2006)
 * Blind Faith (2007)
 * Meltdown (2010)
 * Two Brothers (2012)
 * Time and Time Again (2014)
 * Identity Crisis (2019)

Films
Elton appeared in amateur dramatic productions as a youth, notably as The Artful Dodger in the musical Oliver!

While in bit parts in his own TV series, he began professional film acting as CD in Stark, the Australian/BBC TV series adaptation of his novel, in 1993. This was directed by Nadia Tass and filmed in Australia.

Elton played Verges in Kenneth Branagh's film adaptation of William Shakespeare's Much Ado About Nothing, also in 1993.

Behind the camera
Elton wrote and directed the film adaptation of his novel Inconceivable, under the title Maybe Baby (2000) starring Hugh Laurie and Joely Richardson. It was a moderate UK success and distributed globally. The film was also nominated for a prize at Germany's Emden Film Festival.

In 2015, Elton wrote a song for The Wiggles for the Wiggle Town DVD and CD: The Wonder of Wiggle Town.

In September 2016, filming began in Western Australia on Three Summers, a romantic comedy film written and directed by Elton, which was released in 2017.

Elton wrote All is True, released 2018, a speculative story of William Shakespeare's years in Stratford-upon-Avon after his retirement from the theatre and move from London. Along with the filmcraft and acting, returning collaboration with Kenneth Branagh, All is True shows Elton giving a more serious and biographical perspective to some of the same characters who appear in Upstart Crow.

Musicals
Elton collaborated with Andrew Lloyd Webber on The Beautiful Game in 2000, writing the book and lyrics (Lloyd Webber wrote the music). The Beautiful Game won the London Critics Circle Award for best new musical.

He went on to write compilation shows featuring popular songs from the catalogues of pop/rock artists. The first was the musical We Will Rock You with music by Queen. Despite unfavourable early reaction, this was successful in the West End and won the 2003 Theatregoers' Choice Award for Best New Musical. It has since opened in the US, Australia, Russia, Spain, South Africa, Japan, Germany, Switzerland, Sweden, Canada, and The Netherlands. Elton also directed the 10th Anniversary Arena tour, in 2013. The musical ran for 12 years in London. The character of Pop was originally played by Elton's The Young Ones, co-star, Nigel Planer.

His second compilation musical was Tonight's the Night, based on the songs of Rod Stewart, which opened in London's West End in November 2003.

Elton worked with Andrew Lloyd Webber on the musical Love Never Dies, which opened in London's West End in 2010. It was the sequel to Lloyd Webber's The Phantom of the Opera (1986).

Elton directed a new 20th anniversary tour of We Will Rock You, that opened in February 2022 and visited over 25 cities in the United Kingdom. He will also make his theatre debut as the Rebel Leader (previously known as Pop) in a production of the show in 2023 at the London Coliseum from 2 June to 27 August. The 3 main cast members from the touring production will also be starring.

Elton wrote and directed Close Up: The Twiggy Musical (2023) which had its world premier at the Menier Chocolate Factory, London.

Stage
Elton has written five West End plays.

 * Gasping (1990) was first performed at the Theatre Royal Haymarket, London. It starred Hugh Laurie and featured the voice of Stephen Fry.
 * Silly Cow (1991) again at the Theatre Royal Haymarket, London. It was written for and starred Dawn French.
 * Popcorn (1996) was adapted for the stage and went on a UK tour. It also toured Australia in a production starring Marcus Graham and Nadine Garner in its Eastern-States seasons. Popcorn won the TMA Barclays Theatre Award for new play and the Olivier Award for comedy. The Paris production of Popcorn ran for a year and was nominated for seven Molière awards.
 * Blast From the Past (1998) was also adapted for the stage and was produced at the West Yorkshire Playhouse.
 * The Upstart Crow, like the TV series Upstart Crow, a comic version of William Shakespeare's life and society, and sharing some of the same actors and characters, opened in London on 7 February 2020. Starring David Mitchell as Shakespeare and Gemma Whelan as Kate, the play was intended to run until 25 April 2020, but only ran up to mid-March, with the remainder cancelled as a result of restrictions put in place due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The play reopened in the West End at the Apollo Theatre for a ten-week season from 23 September until 3 December 2022.

Stand-up comedy
In 1981 Elton was hired by The Comedy Store in London as compère.

He made two albums of comedy, Motormouth (1987) and Motorvation (1988).

In 2005 Elton toured for the first time since 1997, touring the UK with Get a Grip. He toured Australia and New Zealand with the same show in 2006.

In September 2019, Elton embarked on a three-month UK stand-up tour, his first tour since 2005.

The New Zealand leg of the tour was interrupted in February 2020 by the COVID-19 pandemic. He resumed it over a year later once trans-Tasman quarantine-free travel was launched.

In 2022, his sell out UK stand up final show was held at the Palace Theatre Southend. It was filmed for broadcast on free to air, Channel 4. His stand up tour "Authentic Stupidity" is due to tour the UK and Ireland in 2024.

Awards
Elton received an honorary doctorate in 2004, from The University of Manchester. In 2007 he was awarded an Honorary Rose for lifetime achievement at the Rose d'Or festival, and was also made a Companion of the Liverpool Institute for Performing Arts, in recognition of his work with students. He has won 3 BAFTAs for Best Comedy Series for The Young Ones, Blackadder the Third and Blackadder Goes Forth. Popcorn and We Will Rock You each won an Olivier Award and The Beautiful Game was awarded the Best Musical at the Critics' Circle Awards. The Man From Auntie won him a Royal Television Society Writer's Award and The Thin Blue Line won a British Comedy Award as well as Jury Award at Reims. The 2022 revival of Channel 4's " Friday Night Live " won a Royal Television Society Award and BAFTA for Best Comedy Entertainment programme. Ben Elton has also been awarded a Member of the Order of Australia (AM).

His books have won the Crime Writers Association Gold Dagger Award for Crime Fiction (Popcorn), the Swedish Kaliber Award (Popcorn), WH Smiths People's Choice Fiction Award (High Society) and Prix Polar International Crime Writer Award (Amitiès Mortelles for Past Mortem, French edition).

Personal life
Elton first met 18 year old Australian saxophone player Sophie Gare in 1986 while working in Melbourne (he had a girlfriend called Kate at the time). A year later in Edinburgh, a newly single Elton rekindled their friendship and they became a couple. The two married in 1994 and have three children (including twins). They decided to settle in North Fremantle, Western Australia and they also maintain a home in East Sussex, England. Elton holds dual British/Australian citizenship, the latter since 2004. He has speculated on a future move back to London when their children have completed their schooling.

Elton has been nominated three times for the television series Room 101, firstly by broadcaster Anne Robinson in 2001, secondly by comedian Mark Steel, and also by comedian Stewart Lee, who described Elton "as ranking lower ethically than Osama bin Laden".

Political views
Elton champions left-wing political positions. Prior to the 1987 UK general election, Elton supported Red Wedge by participating in a comedy tour organised by the campaign.

Elton was a longstanding Labour Party supporter and was named as one of the biggest private financial donors to the party in 1998. Elton subsequently distanced himself from the party under Tony Blair, although in April 2015, he stated that he was "back with Labour" for the general election.

Responding to criticism for writing a musical with Conservative Party supporter Andrew Lloyd Webber, Elton said, "If I were to refuse to talk to Tories, I would narrow my social and professional scope considerably. If you judge all your relationships on a person's voting intentions, I think you miss out on the varieties of life." Elton added, "I would have loved a honeymoon period, but I've been irritating journos from the beginning. Originally I was knocked for being too left-wing, and now apparently I've sold out and I'm too right-wing, but all the time I've been being me, and that certainly isn't the person I recognise in anything that's written about me." He has denied being anti-establishment. He also said he was a socialist at a time when "the media was on the whole slavishly worshipping of Thatcher". He said of his political views, "I believe in the politics of Clement Attlee. I'm a Welfare State Labour voter."

Elton parodied himself in the sketch "Benny Elton" for Harry Enfield and Chums in 1994, using the style of Benny Hill to send up his (Elton's) "right on" socialist image as a politically correct spoilsport, chasing Page 3 models around a park to chastise them and tricking heterosexual couples into becoming gay.

title: Ben Elton


text:
Perthshire

Perthshire (locally: ; Siorrachd Pheairt), officially the County of Perth, is a historic county and registration county in central Scotland. Geographically it extends from Strathmore in the east, to the Pass of Drumochter in the north, Rannoch Moor and Ben Lui in the west, and Aberfoyle in the south; it borders the counties of Inverness-shire and Aberdeenshire to the north, Angus to the east, Fife, Kinross-shire, Clackmannanshire, Stirlingshire and Dunbartonshire to the south and Argyllshire to the west. It was a local government county from 1890 to 1930.

Perthshire is known as the "big county", or "the Shire", due to its roundness and status as the fourth largest historic county in Scotland. It has a wide variety of landscapes, from the rich agricultural straths in the east, to the high mountains of the southern Highlands.

Administrative history
Perthshire was an administrative county between 1890 and 1975, governed by a county council. Initially, Perthshire County Council was based in the south wing of Perth Sheriff Court. However, from 1930 onwards, a joint local government council was formed with the small neighbouring county of Kinross-shire, linking the two. Perth County Council was subsequently based at the County Offices in York Place, Perth.

In 1975, the administrative county was superseded by the Local Government (Scotland) Act 1973 and split between the Central and Tayside Regions:

 * West Perthshire (the area west and south of Killin including Callander, Crianlarich and Aberfoyle) was included in the Stirling District of the Central Region.
 * The parish of Muckhart and Glendevon was made part of Clackmannan District Council, also in the Central Region.
 * Longforgan was included in the City of Dundee District, in the Tayside Region.
 * The remainder of Perthshire was combined with Kinross-shire and the Angus parish of Kettins to form the Perth and Kinross District Council in Tayside.

The two-tier system introduced in 1975 was superseded by a system of unitary authorities in 1996. The districts of Tayside and Central Scotland all became unitary authorities, with Longforgan being transferred from Dundee to Perth and Kinross. The majority of historic Perthshire lies in Perth and Kinross. The exceptions are the southwestern part that is now in the Stirling council area and a few parishes that are now in Clackmannanshire. Perth and Kinross also contains some areas that were not historically in Perthshire, such as Kinross-shire. The lieutenancy areas in the same area are mostly coterminous with the council areas. Perthshire still exists as a registration county.

Boundaries
Prior to the 1890s Perthshire's boundaries were irregular: the parishes of Culross and Tulliallan formed an exclave some miles away from the rest of the county, on the boundaries of Clackmannanshire and Fife; while the northern part of the parish of Logie formed an enclave of Stirlingshire within the county.

Following the recommendations of the council boundary commission appointed under the Local Government (Scotland) Act 1889, Culross and Tulliallan were transferred to Fife, and the entire parish of Logie was included in Stirlingshire.

Coat of arms
The coat of arms of the County of Perth appears to have been granted for use on the colours and standards of the volunteer and militia units of the county raised at the end of the eighteenth century. The Earl of Kinnoull, a native of Perthshire, and commanding officer of the Perthshire Gentlemen and Yeomanry Cavalry, was also Lord Lyon King of Arms at the time, and he presented the arms to the county in 1800. The grant document was discovered in the Lyon Office in 1890, and forwarded to the newly formed Perth County Council.

The shield is very similar to the Scottish royal arms, reflecting that Perthshire was the home county of the House of Dunkeld and contains the former royal capital, Scone. Further royal references are made on the canton, which shows Scone Palace surmounted by the Crown of Scotland. The crest is a Highland soldier, reflecting that the famous Black Watch were formed in the county. The supporters are an eagle and a warhorse, the former from the arms of the city of Perth.

Burghs
By the 1890s the county contained the following burghs, which were largely outside the county council's jurisdiction:

 * Royal Burgh of Perth (which was styled a city)
 * Burgh of Auchterarder (formed 1894: reinstated as a royal burgh in 1951)
 * Burgh of Aberfeldy (police burgh from 1887)
 * Burgh of Abernethy (burgh of barony from 1458/9, police burgh from 1877)
 * Burgh of Alyth (burgh of barony from 1488, police burgh from 1834)
 * Burgh of Blairgowrie (burgh of barony 1634, police burgh 1833)
 * Burgh of Rattray (police burgh 1873)
 * Burgh of Callander (police burgh 1866)
 * Burgh of Coupar Angus (burgh of barony 1607, police burgh 1852)
 * Burgh of Crieff (burgh of barony 1674, burgh of regality 1687, police burgh 1864)
 * Burgh of Doune (burgh of barony 1611, police burgh 1890)
 * Burgh of Dunblane (burgh of regality of the Bishop of Dunblane 1442, police burgh 1870)

The Local Government (Scotland) Act 1929 divided burghs into two classes from 1930: large burghs, which were to gain extra powers from the county council, and small burghs which lost many of their responsibilities.

Of the twelve burghs in Perthshire, only Perth was made a large burgh. There were ten small burghs: Blairgowrie and Rattray being united into a single burgh. In 1947 Pitlochry was created a small burgh.

Civil parishes
In 1894 parish councils were established for the civil parishes, replacing the previous parochial boards. The parish councils were in turn replaced by district councils in 1930.

Following the boundary changes caused by the Local Government (Scotland) Act 1889, the county contained the following civil parishes:

 * Aberdaugie
 * Aberfeldy
 * Aberfoyle
 * Abernethy
 * Abernyte
 * Alyth
 * Ardoch
 * Arngask
 * Auchterarder
 * Auchtergaven Moneydie
 * Balquhidder
 * Bankfoot
 * Bendochy
 * Blackford
 * Blair Atholl
 * Blairgowrie and Rattray
 * Blairmacgregor
 * Callander
 * Caputh
 * Cargill
 * Clunie
 * Collace
 * Comrie
 * Coupar Angus
 * Crieff
 * Dowally
 * Dron
 * Dull
 * Dunbarney
 * Dunblane and Lecropt
 * Dunkeld and Dowally
 * Dunning
 * Errol
 * Findo Gask
 * Forgandenny
 * Forteviot
 * Fortingall
 * Foss or Fossoway or Crook of Devon
 * Fowlis Easter
 * Fowlis Wester
 * Glendevon
 * Glen Shee
 * Inchture
 * Innerwick
 * Killin
 * Kilmadock
 * Kilspindie
 * Kincardine
 * Kinclaven
 * Kinfauns Kinfauns Castle
 * Kinloch
 * Kinnaird, Gowrie
 * Kinnoull
 * Kirkmichael
 * Lethendy
 * Little Dunkeld
 * Logiealmond
 * Logierait
 * Longforgan
 * Madderty
 * Meigle
 * Methven
 * Moneydie and Auchtergaven
 * Monzie or *Monzievaird and Strowan
 * Moulin
 * Muckhart
 * Muthill
 * Persie
 * Perth
 * Port of Menteith
 * Blairgowrie and Rattray
 * Redgorton
 * Rhynd
 * St Madoes
 * St Martins
 * Scone
 * Stanley
 * Strathfillian
 * Strathloch
 * Tenandry
 * Tibbermore
 * Trinity Gask
 * Tullybelton
 * Weem

Districts
In 1930 the landward area of the Local Government councils (the part outside of burgh boundaries) was divided into five districts, replacing the parish councils established in 1894:
 * Central District
 * Eastern District
 * Highland District
 * Perth District
 * Western District

Geography
The county forms part of the Highland geographic area; it consists of predominantly mountainous and hilly land within the Grampian Mountains, interspersed with numerous lochs and glens. The highest point is Ben Lawers at 1,214 m (3,983 ft), making it the 10th highest peak in Scotland. Most towns are fairly small, with the larger ones being clustered in the flatter south-east of the county. In the far south along the borders with Clackmannanshhire and Kinross-shire lie the Ochil Hills, and in the south-east part of the Sidlaw Hills lie within the county, continuing on into Angus. Perthshire borders the Firth of Tay in the south-east, which provides access to the North Sea; along the north shore lies the Carse of Gowrie, an extremely flat area of land given over to agriculture. Within the Forth can be found the small island of Mugdrum.

Rivers

 * River Ardle
 * River Earn
 * River Ericht
 * River Farg
 * River Forth
 * River Garry
 * River Isla
 * River Tay
 * River Teith
 * River Tummel

Lochs and Reservoirs

 * Cally Loch
 * Carsebreck Loch
 * Castlehill Reservoir
 * Cocksburn Reservoir (shared with Stirlingshire)
 * Dowally Loch
 * Drumore Loch
 * Dubh Lochan
 * Dupplin Loch
 * Fingask Loch
 * Glas Finglas Reservoir
 * Glenfarg Reservoir (shared with Kinross-shire)
 * Glenquey Resrvoir
 * Glensherup Reservoir
 * Laird's Loch
 * Lake of Menteith
 * Little Loch Skiach
 * Loch Achray
 * Loch an Daimh
 * Loch an Duin
 * Loch Ard
 * Loch Beanie
 * Loch Benachally
 * Loch Bollachan
 * Loch Broom
 * Loch Chon
 * Loch Con
 * Loch Crannach
 * Loch Creagh
 * Loch Curran
 * Loch Derculich
 * Loch Dhu
 * Loch Doine
 * Loch Drunkie
 * Loch Earn
 * Loch Eigeach
 * Loch Ericht (shared with Inverness-shire)
 * Loch Errochty
 * Loch Essan
 * Loch Farleyer
 * Loch Fender
 * Loch Finnart
 * Loch Freuchie
 * Loch Garry
 * Loch Glassie
 * Loch Hoil
 * Loch Iubhair
 * Loch Katrine (shared with Dunbartonshire)
 * Loch Kennard
 * Loch Kinardochy
 * Loch Laddon (shared with Argyllshire)
 * Loch Laggan
 * Loch Lednock Reservoir
 * Loch Loch
 * Loch Lubnaig
 * Loch Lyon
 * Loch Macanrie
 * Loch Maragan
 * Loch Mhairc
 * Loch Monaghan
 * Loch Monzievaird
 * Loch na Bà
 * Loch na Brae
 * Loch nan Eun
 * Loch of Belloch
 * Loch of Butterstone
 * Loch of Clunie
 * Loch of Craiglush
 * Loch of Drumellie
 * Loch of Lowes
 * Loch Ordie
 * Loch Oss
 * Loch Rannoch
 * Loch Rusky
 * Loch Scoly
 * Loch Skiach
 * Loch Tay
 * Loch Tilt
 * Loch Tinker
 * Loch Tummel
 * Loch Turret Reservoir
 * Loch Valigan
 * Loch Venachar
 * Loch Voil
 * Loch Watston
 * Lochan a' Chait
 * Lochan a' Mhàidseir
 * Loch Balloch
 * Lochan Caol Fada
 * Lochan Coire na Mèinne
 * Lochan Creag a' Mhadaidh
 * Lochan Ghiubhais
 * Lochan Lairig Laoigh
 * Lochan Lòin nan Donnlaich
 * Lochan Mhàim nan Carn
 * Lochan Mon' an Fhiadhain
 * Lochan na Beinne
 * Lochan na Làirige
 * Lochan nam Breac
 * Lohan nan Cat
 * Lochan Oisinneach
 * Lochan Oisinneach Mòr
 * Lochan Ruighe nan-Sligean
 * Lochan Spling
 * Lochan Sròn Smeur
 * Lochan Uaine
 * Lossburn Reservoir
 * Lower Glendevon Reservoir
 * Lower Rhynd
 * Methven Loch
 * Mill Dam
 * Monk Myre
 * Pitcairnie Loch
 * Pitcarmick Loch
 * Pond of Drummond
 * Rae Loch
 * Redmyre Loch
 * Rotmell Loch
 * Seamaw Loch
 * Stronuich Reservoir
 * Stormont Loch
 * Upper Glendevon Reservoir (shared with Clackmannanshire)
 * Upper Rhynd
 * Waltersmuir Reservoir
 * White Loch
 * White Moss Loch

Mountains

 * Ben Lawers
 * Ben Vorlich
 * Ben Mhor
 * Ben Vrackie
 * Beinn a' Ghlò
 * Schiehallion

Glens and straths

 * Glen Almond
 * Glen Isla
 * Glen Shee
 * Glen Garry
 * Glen Tilt
 * Glen Bruar
 * Glen Fincastle
 * Glen Errochty
 * Glen Rannoch
 * Glen Lyon
 * Glen Lochay
 * Glen Dochart
 * Strathmore
 * Strath Ardle
 * Strath Braan
 * Strath Tay
 * Strath Tummel
 * Strath Fillan
 * Strath Earn

Settlements

 * Aberargie
 * Aberdalgie
 * Aberfeldy
 * Aberfoyle
 * Abermyte
 * Abernethy
 * Abernyte
 * Aberuthven
 * Achalader
 * Achnafauld
 * Acharn
 * Airntully
 * Aldclune
 * Almondbank
 * Alyth
 * Amulree
 * Ardeonaig
 * Ardler
 * Ardtalnaig
 * Auchterarder
 * Balbeggie
 * Ballinluig
 * Balquhidder
 * Bankfoot
 * Blackford
 * Blair Atholl
 * Blairgowrie
 * Braco
 * Bridge of Balgie
 * Bridge of Earn
 * Bridge of Tilt
 * Burrelton
 * Callander
 * Cambuskenneth
 * Campmuir
 * Caputh
 * Carpow
 * Clunie
 * Collace
 * Cottown
 * Coupar Angus
 * Crianlarich
 * Dunkeld and Birnam
 * Comrie
 * Craigie
 * Crieff
 * Dalguise
 * Deanston
 * Doune
 * Dowally
 * Dull
 * Dunblane
 * Dunkeld
 * Dunning
 * Edradynate
 * Errol
 * Fearnan
 * Findo Gask
 * Finegand
 * Forgandenny
 * Forteviot
 * Fortingall
 * Fowlis Easter
 * Fowlis Wester
 * Gartmore
 * Glencarse
 * Grandtully
 * Grange
 * Greenloaning
 * Guildtown
 * Harrietfield
 * Huntingtower and Ruthvenfield
 * Inchture
 * Inchyra
 * Inveraman
 * Invergowrie
 * Invermay
 * Kenmore
 * Kettins
 * Killiecrankie
 * Killin
 * Kilspindie
 * Kinloch, Blairgowrie
 * Kinloch, Coupar Angus
 * Kinlochard
 * Kinloch Rannoch
 * Kinnaird, Atholl
 * Kinnaird, Gowrie
 * Kinorssie
 * Kirkmichael
 * Kirkton
 * Lawers
 * Leetown
 * Lochearnhead
 * Logierait
 * Longforgan
 * Luncarty
 * Madderty
 * Meigle
 * Meikleour
 * Methven
 * Moneydie
 * Monzievaird
 * Murthly
 * Muthill
 * Old Blair
 * Perth
 * Piperdam
 * Pitcairngreen
 * Pitkeathly Wells
 * Pitlochry
 * Pool of Muckhart
 * Powmill
 * Rait
 * Rattray
 * Redgorton
 * Rhynd
 * St Fillans
 * St Madoes
 * Scone
 * Spittal of Glenshee
 * Spittalfield
 * Stanley
 * Strathtay
 * Strathyre
 * Thornhill
 * Tibbermore
 * Tullibardine
 * Tyndrum
 * Waterloo
 * Weem
 * Wolfhill
 * Woodside

Transport
The Highland Main Line railway line connects Perth to Inverness, and in the far west the West Highland Line criss-crosses the Perthshire-Argyllshire boundary. Other lines in the south-east link Perth to the towns of Fife and Stirlingshire.

Parliamentary constituencies
Following the Act of Union, Perthshire returned members to the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom from 1708.

1707–1885

 * The Royal Burgh of Perth originally formed part of the Perth burghs constituency along with burghs in Fife and Forfarshire. The Representation of the People (Scotland) Act 1832 made Perth a separate burgh constituency.
 * The remainder of the county returned a single member as the parliamentary county of Perthshire. The parishes of Tulliallan, Culross, Muckhart, and the Perthshire portions of the parishes of Logie and Fossaway were annexed to constituency of Clackmannanshire and Kinross in 1832.

1885–1918
In 1885 seats in the House of Commons were redistributed: Perthshire received three seats.
 * Perth remained a burgh constituency.
 * Perthshire Eastern
 * Perthshire Western

1918–1975
In 1918 there was a further redistribution. Perthshire was combined with Kinross-shire to form a parliamentary county, divided into two constituencies:

 * Perth constituency consisted of the burgh of Perth, the former Eastern constituency and part of the Western constituency. In 1950 it was renamed Perth and East Perthshire. The area included in the constituency was defined in 1948 and 1970 as the burghs of Perth, Abernethy, Alyth, Blairgowrie and Rattray and Coupar Angus; and the Eastern and Perth districts of the county of Perth.
 * Kinross and Western Perthshire: the constituency consisted of the entire County of Kinross, the burghs of Aberfeldy, Auchterarder, Callander, Crieff, Doune, Dunblane and Pitlochry; and the Central, Highland and Western districts of the county of Perth.

These boundaries continued in use until 1983, when new constituencies were formed based on the Local Government regions and districts created in 1975.

1975–2005
Perthshire was represented in House of Commons of the United Kingdom from 1975 to 2005.

2005–present
Perthshire has two constituencies and two Members of Parliament.

 * Ochil and South Perthshire
 * Perth and North Perthshire

Famous places

 * Ashintully Castle
 * Balvaird Castle
 * Birnam Wood and Dunsinane Hill, famous from Shakespeare's Macbeth
 * Blair Castle
 * Cateran Trail
 * Dirnanean House
 * Drummond Castle
 * Dunkeld Cathedral
 * Edradour Distillery
 * Gleneagles Hotel
 * The Hermitage
 * Kindrogan House
 * Scone Palace
 * Near Strathtay and Strathmore, where many four-poster stone formations can be found

Notable people

 * Archbishop Patrick Adamson
 * Duke of Atholl
 * James Bannerman
 * Anne Fraser Bon
 * Edward Braddock
 * Sir Archibald Campbell, 1st Baronet
 * Baron Cameron of Balhousie
 * James Croll
 * Alan Cumming
 * Sir Charles Douglas
 * David Douglas
 * Daniel Dow
 * Duleep Singh
 * Alexander Duff
 * Thomas Duncan
 * Adam Ferguson
 * William Flockhart
 * Duncan Forbes
 * Niel Gow
 * James Graham, 1st Marquess of Montrose
 * Thomas Graham, 1st Baron Lynedoch
 * Stephen Hendry
 * Lady of Lawers
 * Alexander Leslie, 1st Earl of Leven
 * Alexander Mackenzie
 * Dougie MacLean
 * John Macleod
 * Ewan McGregor
 * Sir Charles Menzies
 * Lord George Murray
 * Sir George Murray
 * Baron Reid
 * J. K. Rowling
 * James Small
 * Major-General John Small
 * William Small
 * Rory Stewart
 * Magdalene Stirling
 * Robert Stirling
 * George Thompson, recipient of the Victoria Cross
 * John Sen Inches Thomson
 * Dr William Marshall

Schools

 * Ardvreck School
 * The Community School of Auchterarder
 * Blairgowrie High School
 * Breadalbane Academy
 * Craigclowan Preparatory School
 * Dollar Academy
 * Glenalmond College
 * Inch view primary and nursery school
 * Kilgraston School
 * Morrison's Academy
 * Perth Academy
 * Perth Grammar School
 * Perth High School
 * Pitlochry High School
 * Rattray Primary School
 * Strathallan School
 * Strathearn Community Campus

title: Perthshire


text:
Clackmannanshire

Clackmannanshire (Clackmannanshire; Siorrachd Chlach Mhanann), or the County of Clackmannan, is a historic county, council area, registration county and lieutenancy area in Scotland, bordering the council areas of Stirling, Fife, and Perth and Kinross. In terms of historic counties it borders Perthshire, Stirlingshire and Fife.

The name consists of elements from three languages. The first element is from Clach meaning "Stone". Mannan is a derivative of the Brythonic name of the Manaw, the Iron Age tribe who inhabited the area. The final element is the English word shire. As Britain's smallest historic county, it is often nicknamed "The Wee County". When written, Clackmannanshire is commonly abbreviated to Clacks.

History

Clackmannanshire takes its name from the original county town of Clackmannan, which is named after a stone anciently associated with the pre-Christian deity Manau or Mannan. The stone now rests on a larger stone beside the surviving tower of Clackmannan Tolbooth and the Mercat Cross at the top of Main street, Clackmannan.

Clackmannanshire became known for the weaving mills powered by the Hillfoots burns. Other industries included brewing, glass manufacture, mining and ship building. Now capitalising on its central position and transport links, Clackmannanshire attracts service industries and tourism.

The motto of Clackmannanshire is "Look Aboot Ye" (Circumspice in Latin). In 2007 a re-branding exercise led to the area adopting the slogan "More Than You Imagine".

Administrative history
Clackmannanshire's origins as a shire (the area controlled by a sheriff) are unclear; it had certainly become a shire by 1305, with some suggestion that it may have already existed in the early 1200s.

The county town was originally Clackmannan, where a tolbooth was built in 1592 to serve as the sheriff court for the county. Commissioners of Supply were established in 1667 to act as the main administrative body for the shire. In 1822 the sheriff court and meeting place of the commissioners was moved from Clackmannan to Alloa, which had grown to become the more significant town. County Buildings was built in 1865 at the corner of Mar Street and Drysdale Street in Alloa to serve as the courthouse and meeting place for the commissioners.

Elected county councils were established in 1890 under the Local Government (Scotland) Act 1889, taking most of the functions of the commissioners (which were eventually abolished in 1930). Clackmannanshire County Council held its first meeting on 22 May 1890 at the County Buildings in Alloa, which would serve as the county council's headquarters until its abolition in 1975.

The 1889 act also led to a review of boundaries, with several exclaves being transferred to a county they actually bordered, and parishes which straddled more than one county being adjusted such that each parish was entirely in a single county. These changes saw Clackmannanshire cede Cambuskenneth to Stirlingshire, whilst it gained Alva from Stirlingshire and parts of Alloa parish which had been in Perthshire.

Clackmannanshire County Council was abolished in 1975 under the Local Government (Scotland) Act 1973, which replaced Scotland's counties, burghs and landward districts with a two-tier structure of upper-tier regions and lower-tier districts. Clackmannanshire became part of the Central region and a Clackmannan district was created covering the pre-1975 county plus the parish of Muckhart, which had been in Perthshire prior to 1975.

Further local government reforms in 1996 under the Local Government etc. (Scotland) Act 1994 saw the regions and districts created in 1975 abolished and replaced with council areas providing all local government services. Clackmannan district became one of the new council areas, taking on the functions of the abolished Central Regional Council. The 1994 act originally named the new council area "Clackmannan", but the shadow authority elected in 1995 requested a change of name to "Clackmannanshire", which was agreed by the government before the new council area came into force on 1 April 1996.

Political control
The first election to Clackmannan District Council was held in 1974, initially operating as a shadow authority alongside the outgoing authorities until the new system came into force on 16 May 1975. A shadow authority was again elected in 1995 ahead of the change to council areas which came into force on 1 April 1996. Political control since 1975 has been as follows:

Leadership
The leaders of the council since 1996 have been:

Premises
Since 2014, the council has been based at Kilncraigs, on Greenside Street in Alloa.

After the 1975 local government reorganisation, the old headquarters of Clackmannanshire County Council at the County Buildings reverted to being solely a courthouse, and the old county council's overflow offices in converted houses along nearby Marshill passed to the Central Regional Council. The Clackmannan District Council acquired a modern office building called The Whins on Whins Road to serve as its headquarters, and also took over the former Alloa Town Council building at Greenfield House on Mar Place.

Greenfield House had been built as a house in 1894 and had been bought by the old town council in 1952, with its gardens becoming a public park. In 1987 Greenfield House was extended, allowing it to become the district council's headquarters, with The Whins subsequently being turned into the Alloa Business Centre. Greenfield House then served as the council's headquarters until 2014.

In 2014 the council moved to Kilncraigs, which had been built in 1904 as the offices, factory and warehouse of John Paton, Son and Co, manufacturers of knitting yarn. After the factory closed the whole building had been converted to offices in 2004.

Elections
Since 2007 elections have been held every five years under the single transferable vote system, introduced by the Local Governance (Scotland) Act 2004. Election results since 1995 have been as follows:

Wards
Since 2007, the council area has been divided into five multi-member wards:

Communities
The council area is divided into nine community council areas, eight of which have community councils as at 2023, being those marked with an asterisk below.

 * Alloa*
 * Alva*
 * Clackmannan*
 * Dollar*
 * Menstrie*
 * Muckhart*
 * Sauchie and Fishcross*
 * Tillicoultry, Coalsnaughton and Devonside*
 * Tullibody, Cambus, and Glenochil

Town twinning
Since 2006, Clackmannanshire has been twinned with Vendargues, in southern France, and with Espartinas, in Andalusia, Spain.

Coat of arms
Clackmannanshire's coat of arms is blazoned:

Or, a saltire gules; upon a chief vert, between two gauntlets proper, a pale argent charged with a pallet sable.

The red saltire on gold is taken from the arms of the Clan Bruce. According to legend, Robert Bruce mislaid his gauntlets while visiting the county, and upon asking where he could find them was told to "look aboot ye" (hence the motto). The green chief represents the county's agriculture, while the black and white pale is taken from the arms of the Clan Erskine whose chief the Earl of Mar lives at Alloa Tower. Sir Thomas Bruce 1st Baron of Clackmannan was a member of the House of Bruce and received lands in Clackmannan from his cousin Robert II.

Wider politics
In the 2014 Scottish independence referendum, Clackmannanshire was the first council area to declare its result. Though some predictions had seen the area as being favourable towards the "Yes" side, the "No" vote took 53.8% of the area's vote. This was seen as an early sign that Scotland would vote against independence.

In the 2016 United Kingdom European Union membership referendum, Clackmannanshire voted by 58% to remain.

Parliamentary constituencies

 * Pre-United Kingdom (Parliament of Scotland)
 * Clackmannanshire (1600s to 1707)
 * UK Parliament
 * Clackmannanshire (1708 to 1832)
 * Clackmannanshire and Kinross-shire (1832 to 1918)
 * Clackmannan and Eastern Stirlingshire (1918 to 1983)
 * Clackmannan (1983 to 1997)
 * Ochil (1997 to 2005)
 * Ochil and South Perthshire (2005 to present)
 * Scottish Parliament
 * Ochil (1999 to 2011)
 * Clackmannanshire and Dunblane (2011 to present)

Geography

In terms of population, Clackmannanshire is the smallest council area in mainland Scotland. Its population was (in ), around half of whom live in the main town and administrative centre, Alloa.

The Ochil Hills dominate the northern third of the county, where Ben Cleuch, Clackmannanshire's highest point, can be found. The northernmost salient of the county lies along the Upper Glendevon Reservoir. Strathdevon is immediately to the south of the steep escarpment formed by the Ochil Fault, along which the Hillfoots Villages are located. Strathdevon mostly comprises a lowland plain a few hundred metres either side of the River Devon, which joins the Forth near Cambus. There is also the Black Devon river that flows past the town of Clackmannan to join the Forth near Alloa. This confluence once had a small pier, for portage to Dunmore pier on the south shore, and anchorage of smaller sailing ships, while others of greater tonnage could be accepted at Dunmore pier on the opposite banks of the Forth. Roughly in the centre of the county lies the Gartmorn Dam County Park, and there are small patches of forest in the south-east of the county. Two unnamed peninsulas are formed by meanders in the river Forth along Clackmannanshire's southern boundary; the easternmost of these has two small islands - Tullibody Inch and Alloa Inch - either side of it.

Economy

The main industries are agriculture, brewing, and formerly coal mining. In 2006, permission was given for a waterfront development of the Docks area of Alloa, which has been in decline since the 1960s. There is a large glass works at Alloa.

Transport
Alloa railway station reopened in May 2008; prior to this the county had no active railway stations. A new railway line was completed which connected Kincardine and Stirling, and thus reconnecting Alloa to the national rail network for the first time since 1968, was opened to the public. Scheduled passenger services operate only between Alloa and Stirling and onwards to Glasgow and Edinburgh; the line to Kincardine is normally used by freight trains only but some special excursion trains are run by charter operators. An opening ceremony was held on Thursday 15 May 2008, with the first fully functioning passenger service commencing in the new summer timetable on 19 May 2008. The service provides an hourly connection between Alloa, Stirling and Glasgow Queen Street.

The Clackmannanshire Bridge, a new road crossing of the Forth intended to ease congestion and pressure on the older Kincardine Bridge, opened in 2008 (technically the span of the new bridge is not within the county, instead falling just outside it and administratively divided between Falkirk and Fife).

Major roads in the area are the A91 between Bannockburn and St Andrews which is the main thoroughfare through the Hillfoots Villages, the A907 between Stirling and Dunfermline which passes through Alloa and Clackmannan, the A908 connecting Alloa and Tillicountry, and the A977 (fed by the A876) between Kincardine and Kinross which runs east of Clackmannan.

Settlements

 * Other settlements

 * Cambus
 * Devonside
 * Fishcross
 * Forestmill
 * Inglewood
 * Kennet
 * Muckhart (historically in Perthshire)
 * Solsgirth

Places of interest

 * Alloa Tower
 * Auchinbaird Windmill
 * Ben Cleuch
 * Broomhall Castle
 * Brucefield House
 * Castle Campbell
 * Clackmannan House
 * Harviestoun Brewery
 * Gartmorn Dam
 * Gean House
 * Menstrie Castle
 * Tullibody Old Kirk

title: Clackmannanshire