Career
Forman began his political career on Glasgow Corporation in 1928. He was appointed a Baillie and was Chairman of the Public Assistance Committee. In 1935 he was appointed to a Scottish Office committee investigating the operation of the Poor Law.
He also served on Rent Tribunals under the Rent of Furnished Houses Control (Scotland) Acting 1943, determining the fair rent for private tenancies.
After he had taken the oath, it was noticed that his position on the Rent Tribunals was remunerated and that he therefore might hold an "office of profit under the Crown" which would disqualify him from election. A Select Committee was set up which reported that his election was invalid.
A Bill was rushed through validating it and indemnifying him from the consequences of acting as an Member of Parliament while disqualified. Forman was on the left of the Labour Party and was a consistent opponent of conscription and National Service.
Over the Suez canal in 1954, Forman was one of six Labour MPs who voted with the Conservative government to support the dismantling of the British base in Suez.
The unofficial leader of this group, Emrys Hughes, declared that he agreed that the base was obsolete in the age of the hydrogen bomb. After the 1959 general election, Forman"s attendance declined. He retired at the 1964 general election.
