John P. Mackintosh

John Pitcairn Mackintosh (24 August 1929 – 30 July 1978) was a Scottish academic, author and Labour politician known for his advocacy of political devolution, at a time when it was anathema to the Labour leadership, and for his pro-Europeanism. He advanced the concept of dual nationality: that Scots could be both Scottish and British, and indeed European. He was the Member of Parliament (MP) for Berwick and East Lothian from 1966 to February 1974 and again from October 1974 until his death.

Early life and career Mackintosh was born in Simla, India, and raised in Edinburgh from the age of ten. He was educated at Melville College, and obtained degrees in history from the University of Edinburgh; in philosophy, politics and economics from Balliol College, Oxford; and in history at Princeton University, where he held the Sir John Dill Memorial Fellowship. His correspondence from his time at Princeton showed his deep dismay over the rise of McCarthyism and the election of Dwight D. Eisenhower as president.

In 1977, a tumour was found in Mackintosh's heart. While his initial prognosis was optimistic, it was subsequently determined that his condition was terminal, though he continued to work as he much as he was able to. Dewar himself, when First Minister of Scotland, said of John Mackintosh's lifelong belief in devolution:

A memorial lecture was founded by Arthur Greenan, his friends in the constituency, and colleagues in the University of Edinburgh. The lecture is held every year, alternating between East Lothian and the University of Edinburgh. Past speakers have included Jack McConnell, John Kenneth Galbraith, Neil Kinnock, John Smith, Donald Dewar, and Gordon Brown, among others.

Mackintosh's focus on Scottish devolution has also been discussed in The Scotsman by Iain Gray, former leader of Scottish Labour.

After his death, two volumes of essays were published: Mackintosh on Scotland, edited by Henry Drucker (1982), and Mackintosh on Parliament and Social Democracy, edited by David Marquand (1983).