Ian Aitken (journalist)
Ian Levack Aitken (19 September 1927 – 21 February 2018)[1] was a British journalist and political commentator.
Ian Aitken | |
|---|---|
| Born | Ian Levack Aitken 19 September 1927 Airdrie, Lanarkshire, Scotland |
| Died | 21 February 2018 (aged 90) |
| Nationality | British |
| Education | King Alfred School, London |
| Alma mater | Lincoln College, Oxford London School of Economics |
| Occupation | Journalist |
| Years active | 1953–2014 |
| Employer | The Guardian |
| Spouse(s) | Catherine |
| Children | 2 |
Early life
Aitken was born in Airdrie, Lanarkshire. His father, George, a Lanarkshire infantryman radicalised by his experiences in the first world war trenches, fought with the Republican side in the Spanish Civil War.[2][1] George Aitken was also a member of the Communist Party of Great Britain; however, he resigned following the CPGB's support for the Hitler-Stalin Pact.[2]
Aitken was educated at the King Alfred School, Hampstead, Lincoln College, Oxford, and the LSE. At Oxford he befriended the future politicians Shirley Williams and Bill Rodgers.
Aitken served in the Fleet Air Arm from 1945 to 1948.[3]
Career
Aitken entered journalism in 1953 as the industrial correspondent of the Tribune newspaper, after a spell as a HM inspector of factories and a trade union official. The following year (1954) he joined the Daily Express and filled a number of positions at the paper before joining The Guardian in 1964, where for 10 years he was political correspondent.[3] From 1975 to 1990 he was The Guardian's political editor, succeeded by Michael White.[1] He also wrote occasional unpaid columns for Tribune, under the title "Rattling the Bars", and continued to write until the age of 87.[4]
Political views
Politically Aitken was 'traditional' left-of-centre (sometimes called 'classic labour'), being against the Iraq War, and accused New Labour of having "hijacked" the Labour Party.
Personal life
Aitken lived the majority of his life in Highgate, North London. His wife Catherine died in 2006 after an almost fifty year marriage.
Aitken died on 21 February 2018[5][6] and was survived by his two daughters and four grandchildren. Among those paying tribute to Aitken's life was the broadcaster Iain Dale.[7]
References
- McKie, David (22 February 2018). "Ian Aitken obituary". The Guardian. Retrieved 22 February 2018.
- "Neither my father – who had been badly wounded in the Great War and was not long back from fighting on the losing side in the Spanish Civil War – nor my mother were under any illusions about what lay ahead." Ian Aitken, Equal and opposite wartime shame for left and right in World War II ". Tribune Magazine, September 6th, 2009. Retrieved October 14th 2013.
- Dennis Griffiths (ed.) The Encyclopedia of the British Press 1422–1992, London and Basingstoke: Macmillan, 1992, p.62
- James Naughtie (@17:40-21:45). "Trevor Baylis, Lerone Bennett Jr, Penny Vincenzi, Ian Aitken, Sir Roger Bannister". Last Word. Radio 4. Retrieved April 26, 2018.
- Obituaries, Telegraph (2018-04-09). "Ian Aitken, political journalist – obituary". The Telegraph. ISSN 0307-1235. Retrieved 2019-10-01.
- Twitter, Arun Kakar (2018-02-23). "Former Guardian political editor Ian Aitkin dies aged 90". Press Gazette. Retrieved 2019-10-01.
- Dale, Iain (2018-02-22). "Very sad to read that former Guardian political editor Ian Aitken has died, aged 90. Obituary here https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2018/feb/22/ian-aitken-obituary …pic.twitter.com/fNOvGSeP0t". @iaindale. Retrieved 2019-10-01. External link in
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| Media offices | ||
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| Preceded by Francis Boyd |
Political Editor of The Guardian 1975–1990 |
Succeeded by Michael White |