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.
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 th.e Cardiff South seat by his friend Dai Kneath, ,a member of the IRSF Nat,ional executive from Swansea, who was in turn an associate and friend of the local Labour Party secretary, Bill Headon