James MacColl

James Eugene MacColl (27 June 1908 – 17 June 1971) was a British Labour Party politician.

Biography He was the younger son of Hugo MacColl, a master marine engineer. At the age of 12 he was orphaned. MacColl was educated at Sedbergh School and Balliol College, Oxford. At Oxford he became secretary of the University Labour club. He graduated with degrees in philosophy, politics and economics.

Following his graduation he received a Commonwealth Fund fellowship and spent two years at University of Chicago in the United States. He was called to the bar at the Inner Temple in 1933, and practiced on the North East Circuit. MacColl believed in the importance of local government and co-authored two books on the subject.

At the 1950 general election he was elected Member of Parliament for Widnes, and held the seat for two decades until his death in 1971 aged 62. From 1964 to 1969, he was Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Housing and Local Government.

MacColl was an active "High Anglican" member of the Church of England, and was a member of the church's Board for Social Responsibility. He was unmarried.