Isaac Foot

Isaac Foot (23 February 1880 - 13 December 1960) was a British politician and solicitor.

Early life

Foot was educated at Hoe Grammar School, and later worked as a solicitor in Plymouth. With his friend, Edgar Bowden, he set up the law firm Foot and Bowden. He became a member of the Liberal Party and served on Plymouth City Council, and as Lord Mayor from 1945-46.

Parliamentary career

Foot first stood for parliament in Plymouth in November 1919, but was beaten by Nancy Astor, who became the first woman MP in Britain. Foot was elected as Member of Parliament for Bodmin in February 1922. He lost his seat in October 1924 but regained it in the 1929 General Election. He held the seat until he lost again in November 1935. He became a Privy Counsellor in 1937. Foot served as Vice President of the Methodist Conference (1937-38) and as President of the Liberal Party (1947).

Personal life

Foot was married to Eva Mackintosh, daughter of Angus Mackintosh. Four of the Foots' sons followed their father into public life.

• Dingle became a Liberal, later Labour, Member of Parliament and solicitor-general.
• Hugh was a senior diplomat and member of the House of Lords.
• John stood as a Liberal on several occasions for Parliament and became Baron Foot.
• Michael became a major socialist intellectual, principal architect of the 1945 Labour Party manifesto, Member of Parliament and leader of the Labour Party in the 1980s.

The Foots also had two daughters, Margaret and Jennifer, and one other son, Christopher. Hugh's son, Paul, was a prominent campaigning journalist and political activist, being a solid member of the Trotskyite Socialist Workers Party (SWP).