Election '78

POD: In Autumn 1978 Labour Prime Minister James Callaghan failed to call an early general election, he decided to carry on into 1979 and following industrial strife in the winter of 78-79 his government was brought down in March 1979 with Margaret Thatcher winning the subsequent general election. In Autumn 1978 the polls were close, with labour edging into the lead and Callaghan's personal popularity high, a labour victory was a probability. What if Callaghan had have called an early election?

On September 7th 1978 Callaghan went on national television to announce a general election for October 19th.