James Callaghan the Labour politician was prime minister from 1976-79. His first career was as a tax officer in the Inland Revenue, so fittingly his first cabinet position was Chancellor of the Exchequer (1964-67). On Harold Wilson's surprise resignation in 1976, the party's MPs elected Callaghan as their leader; he therefore automatically succeeded Wilson as prime minister. His term in office was dominated by industrial unrest, culminating in the Winter of Discontent . On March 28, 1979 the government was narrowly defeated (311 votes to 310) on an opposition motion of no confidence. It was the first occasion since 1924 when a vote in the House of Commons had precipitated a general election. Labour lost the subsequent election and in October 1980 Callaghan resigned as party leader.