Mackintosh, John Patrick

Abstracts

Birth August 24 1929 Edinburgh
Death July 30 1978 Edinburgh

Timeline

1940 – 1952 Educated at Melville College, and Universities of Edinburgh, Oxford and Princeton.
1953 Assistant Lecturer, Glasgow University.
1954 Lecturer in History, Edinburgh University.
1961 Senior Lecturer in Government, University of Abadan.
1962 The British Cabinet
1963 Senior Lecturer in Politics, Glasgow University. 
1965 Professor of Politics, Strathclyde University.
1966 Nigerian Politics and Government
1966 elected to the House of Commons, MP for Berwick and East Lothian.
1966 – 1973 member Select Committee on Procedure
1967 – 1969-member Agriculture Select Committee
1968 – 1970-member Scottish Affairs Select Committee
1968 The Devolution of Power
1970 British Government and Politics
1975 Joint Editor The Political Quarterly
1977 Professor of Politics University of Edinburgh.
1978 dies in harness

Obituary

One of the most talented politicians never to have been in office he leaves his admirers wondering why – and what his achievements might have been but for his tragically premature death. It did not help him that he was a match for but not an admirer of Harold Wilson, and that he was more prone to speak his mind than to toe the party line. His academic standing was never in question, exemplified by the University of Edinburgh making his 1977 appointment a part time one. He was passionately, but practically and intellectually, in favour of devolution, not only to the constituent parts of the United Kingdom but to the regions also. This was the theme of The Devolution of Power his Penguin Special of 1968. Who knows where he would have found himself in the run up to the elections to the first Scottish Parliament of 1999.

Postscript

These entries are distilled from the excellent Times Books: Great Scottish Lives, 2017 as filtered by the admiration and prejudices of a Milestones sustainer.

Appreciation

John would have relished this day. His intellect and academic rigour were applied to the theory of devolution. Today was the day the theory become practice. He believed “There shall be a Scottish Parliament.” From today there is. He would not have approved of every detail of the settlement. If he had lived to serve on the Convention or in Parliament no voice would have been more respected than his. But he would have relished the celebrations – and would have joined in.

BS Orkney .May 12 1999