John Gallacher, Baron Gallacher (7 May 1920 – 4 January 2004) was a British

United Kingdom

The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...

 co-operative official and politician.

Gallacher born in Alexandria, Dunbartonshire

Dunbartonshire

Dunbartonshire or the County of Dumbarton is a lieutenancy area and registration county in the west central Lowlands of Scotland lying to the north of the River Clyde. Until 1975 it was a county used as a primary unit of local government with its county town and administrative centre at the town...

, was educated at St. Patrick's High School

St. Patrick's High School

St. Patrick High School, St. Patrick's High School and other variants may refer to:In Canada:*St. Patrick's High School in Halifax, Nova Scotia*St. Patrick's High School in Ottawa, Ontario...

, Dumbarton and worked for Vale of Leven Co-operative Society before World War II

World War II

World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...

. He served in the Royal Air Force

Royal Air Force

The Royal Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Formed on 1 April 1918, it is the oldest independent air force in the world...

 then joined the Scottish Co-operative Wholesale Society (SCWS) in Dumbarton as a trainee in Glasgow

Glasgow

Glasgow is the largest city in Scotland and third most populous in the United Kingdom. The city is situated on the River Clyde in the country's west central lowlands...

. In 1949, he was sent on a SCWS scholarship to the Co-operative College

Co-operative College

The Co-operative College is a University in the United Kingdom which provides "inspirational learning and resources based on co-operative values and principles for individuals and organisations to support the development of sustainable co-operative, mutual and social enterprises throughout the world"...

 in Loughborough

Loughborough

Loughborough is a town within the Charnwood borough of Leicestershire, England. It is the seat of Charnwood Borough Council and is home to Loughborough University...

 for two years and gained a Co-operative Secretary's Diploma (CSD). He went on to work as assistant educational secretary at the Royal Arsenal Co-operative Society

Royal Arsenal Co-operative Society

The Royal Arsenal Co-operative Society was a consumer co-operative based in south east London; taking its name from the royal munitions works at Woolwich....

 in South London, and then moved to be education secretary with the Enfield Highway Co-operative Society. He was then the Southern Sectional Secretary of the Co-operative Union, leaving for a short while to be labour advisor to the Motor Agents' Association before returning to the Union. After joining the International Co-operative Alliance

International Co-operative Alliance

The International Co-operative Alliance is a non-governmental co-operative federation or, more precisely, a co-operative union representing co-operatives and the co-operative movement worldwide. It was founded in 1895. The ICA maintains the internationally recognised definition of a co-operative...

 as Administrative Officer he became Parliamentary Secretary to the Co-operative Union in 1973, gaining profile and parliamentary support for the movement.

Gallacher was created Baron Gallacher, of Enfield

London Borough of Enfield

The London Borough of Enfield is the most northerly London borough and forms part of Outer London. It borders the London Boroughs of Barnet, Haringey and Waltham Forest...

 in Greater London

Greater London

Greater London is the top-level administrative division of England covering London. It was created in 1965 and spans the City of London, including Middle Temple and Inner Temple, and the 32 London boroughs. This territory is coterminate with the London Government Office Region and the London...

, on 28 March 1983, on the recommendation of Lord Jacques

John Jacques, Baron Jacques

John Henry Jacques, Baron Jacques was a British businessman and politician for the Co-operative Party.-Background:...

. He sat as a Labour Co-operative

Labour Co-operative

Labour and Co-operative describes those candidates in British elections standing on behalf of both the Labour Party and the Co-operative Party, based on a national agreement between the two parties....

 peer and from 1985 to 1992, he served as a Labour

Labour Party (UK)

The Labour Party is a centre-left democratic socialist party in the United Kingdom. It surpassed the Liberal Party in general elections during the early 1920s, forming minority governments under Ramsay MacDonald in 1924 and 1929-1931. The party was in a wartime coalition from 1940 to 1945, after...

 whip

Whip (politics)

A whip is an official in a political party whose primary purpose is to ensure party discipline in a legislature. Whips are a party's "enforcers", who typically offer inducements and threaten punishments for party members to ensure that they vote according to the official party policy...

 in the House of Lords

House of Lords

The House of Lords is the upper house of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. Like the House of Commons, it meets in the Palace of Westminster....

. He spoke with authority on Europe

Europe

Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...

an matters. In addition, he was for a period President of the Institute of Meat.