MacInnes was born in London, England, son of singer James Campbell McInnes and novelist Angela Mackail, who was the granddaughter of the Pre-Raphaelite artist Edward Burne-Jones and also related to Rudyard Kipling and Stanley Baldwin.
[5] MacInnes served in the British Intelligence Corps during the Second World War, and worked in occupied Germany after the European armistice.
[9] In 2007 a stage adaptation by Roy Williams was performed at the Lyric Theatre, Hammersmith, London.
[8] David Bowie appeared in the film Absolute Beginners and recorded the title song, which was a hit around the world.
[12] Billy Bragg's albums England, Half English (2002) and Mr. Love & Justice (2008) borrowed their titles from books by MacInnes.