Ian Aitken | |
|---|---|
| Born | Ian Levack Aitken (1927-09-19)19 September 1927 Airdrie,Lanarkshire, Scotland |
| Died | 21 February 2018(2018-02-21) (aged 90) London, England |
| Education | King Alfred School, London |
| Alma mater | Lincoln College, Oxford London School of Economics |
| Occupation | Journalist |
| Years active | 1953–2014 |
| Employer | The Guardian |
| Spouse | |
| Children | 2 |
Ian Levack Aitken (19 September 1927 – 21 February 2018) was a British journalist and political commentator who was the political editor ofThe Guardian from 1975 to 1990.
Aitken was born inAirdrie,Lanarkshire.[1] His father, George, a Lanarkshire infantryman radicalised by his experiences in the first world war trenches, fought with theRepublican side in theSpanish Civil War.[2][3] George Aitken was also a member of theCommunist Party of Great Britain; however, he resigned following the CPGB's support for theHitler-Stalin Pact.[2]
Aitken grew up in London.[1] He was educated at theKing Alfred School, Hampstead,Lincoln College, Oxford, and theLSE.[1] At Oxford he befriended the future politiciansShirley Williams andBill Rodgers. He appeared as an extra in the filmA Matter of Life and Death.[1]
Aitken served in theFleet Air Arm from 1945 to 1948.[4]
Aitken entered journalism in 1953 as the industrial correspondent of theTribune newspaper, after a spell as a HM inspector of factories and a trade union official.[1] The following year (1954) he joined theDaily Express As Expressman Aitken he reported from Havana when Fidel Castro entered the city. He filled a number of positions at the paper before joiningThe Guardian in 1964, where for 10 years he was political correspondent.[4] From 1975 to 1990 he wasThe Guardian's political editor, succeeded byMichael White.[3] He continued to write for the newspaper until 1992, and then became a columnist for theNew Statesman from 1993 to 1996.[1] He also wrote occasional unpaid columns forTribune, under the title "Rattling the Bars", and continued to write until the age of 87.[5]
Politically Aitken was aLabour Party supporter who was in the 'traditional' left-of-centre (sometimes called 'classic labour'). He was against theLabour Left[1] andNew Labour alike, accusing the latter of having "hijacked" the party. He was opposed to theIraq War.[3]
Aitken lived the majority of his life inHighgate,North London. In 1956, he married Catherine Hay Mackie, a doctor. She was the younger sister ofJohn Mackie, Baron John-Mackie andGeorge Mackie, Baron Mackie of Benshie.[1] Aitken and his wife had two daughters and were married until her death, fromAlzheimer's disease, in 2006.[1]
In 1966, Aitken underwent an operation to have an eye removed, due to a tumour.[1][6]
Aitken died from a chest infection at theHospital of St John and St Elizabeth in London on 21 February 2018, at the age of 90.[1][7][8] Among those paying tribute to Aitken's life was the broadcasterIain Dale.[9] His ashes were placed in the grave of his wife Catherine on the eastern side ofHighgate Cemetery.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)| Media offices | ||
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| Preceded by | Political Editor ofThe Guardian 1975–1990 | Succeeded by |
| International | |
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| National | |
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