GamCare President passes away

In the UK, former Labour politician Andrew McIntosh, one of the men responsible for helping to successfully steer 2005’s Gambling Act through Parliament, died late last week at the age of 77 after suffering from cancer.

A market researcher by profession, McIntosh was elected to serve on Haringey Council, which had been formed by the amalgamation of Hornsey and Tottenham in north London, in 1964 and went on to represent the area until 1983.

McIntosh was elected leader of the Greater London Council in 1980 after ousting his Conservative rivals and was made a life peer in 1983 on the recommendation of Michael Foot, becoming Baron McIntosh of Haringey.

He served as Prime Minister Tony Blair’s Deputy Government Whip following the 1997 election that brought Labour into power and was made the Minister responsible for gambling in June of 2003 in a shuffle that split Sports Minister Richard Caborn's responsibilities at the Department For Culture, Media And Sport. The divide saw Caborn look after the Tote alongside levy and racing-related issues while McIntosh held responsibility over the rest and used his affable nature to help guide the complex Gambling Act through The House Of Lords.

The Gambling Act was passed on the penultimate day of Parliament just before the 2005 general election with McIntosh returning to the backbenches of The House Of Lords thereafter while Caborn regained full responsibility over everything gambling-related.

McIntosh became a member of the Gambling Commission watchdog, which was set up under the new Gambling Act, in 2005 while also serving as President for problem gambling charity GamCare. He remained in both positions to his death and had been reappointed to the Gambling Commission in April.

He was married to the late social reformer Naomi Sargant and is survived by two sons and a stepson with a humanist funeral ceremony to celebrate his life being arranged for September 8.