John Andrew Barrett (born 11 February 1954) is a Scottish Liberal Democrat politician and the former Member of Parliament (MP) for Edinburgh West.

He joined the Scottish Liberal Party in 1980 and was the election agent for Veronica Crerar when she won the South East Corstorphine ward in 1984.

He was promoted by Charles Kennedy in December 2005 to Shadow Minister of State for Scotland, while continuing as a spokesman on International Development.

Barrett has fought prominent campaigns; for Trade Justice, against Post Office closures, opposing the war in Iraq, supporting renewables and opposing nuclear power, against the replacement of Trident and for a number of animal welfare issues alongside the Scottish SPCA, including one to ban the trade in cat and dog fur.

He was involved with a number of charities working in the developing world – including India 800 and as an ambassador for CBM UK.

[7] In an article in January 2014, Barrett condemned the policies of the Liberal Democrats in coalition with the Tories at Westminster, saying "No wonder the public in Scotland drifted away in large numbers from the party at both the last set of Holyrood and council elections.