 Within a year of Callaghan taking office, the narrow Labour majority was eliminated due to by-election defeats, prompting a vote of confidence which prevented the government's collapse and a general election from being called.In order to sustain the government, Labour formed the Lib-Lab pact in March 1977 and this remained in force for sixteen months.This minority government also managed to stay in power with unofficial deals with the Ulster Unionist Party and Scottish National Party.