John Forman
Encyclopedia
John Calder Forman was a British
insurance agent and politician.
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) Act 1943, determining the fair rent for private tenancies.
, Forman was elected as a Labour and Co-operative
Member of Parliament
for Glasgow Springburn
. 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 MP while disqualified.
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. He was a member of the Parliamentary Temperance
Group and in 1957 supported restrictions on access to clubs selling alcohol for children.
, Forman's attendance declined. He was one of the Members of Parliament mentioned on BBC Television's "That Was The Week That Was
" on January 19, 1963 as having made no speeches in Parliament since the general election. He retired at the 1964 general election
.
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...
insurance agent and politician.
Municipal life
Forman began his political career on GlasgowGlasgow
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...
Corporation in 1928. He was appointed a Baillie
Baillie
A baillie or bailie is a civic officer in the local government of Scotland. The position arose in the burghs, where baillies formerly held a post similar to that of an alderman or magistrate...
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
Poor Law
The English Poor Laws were a system of poor relief which existed in England and Wales that developed out of late-medieval and Tudor-era laws before being codified in 1587–98...
. He also served on Rent Tribunals under the Rent of Furnished Houses Control (Scotland) Act 1943, determining the fair rent for private tenancies.
Election to Parliament
At the 1945United Kingdom general election, 1945
The United Kingdom general election of 1945 was a general election held on 5 July 1945, with polls in some constituencies delayed until 12 July and in Nelson and Colne until 19 July, due to local wakes weeks. The results were counted and declared on 26 July, due in part to the time it took to...
, Forman was elected as a Labour and 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....
Member of Parliament
Member of Parliament
A Member of Parliament is a representative of the voters to a :parliament. In many countries with bicameral parliaments, the term applies specifically to members of the lower house, as upper houses often have a different title, such as senate, and thus also have different titles for its members,...
for Glasgow Springburn
Glasgow Springburn (UK Parliament constituency)
Glasgow Springburn was a constituency of the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom from 1918 until the 2005 general election, when it was largely replaced by the Glasgow North East constituency....
. 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 MP while disqualified.
Political stance
Forman was on the left of the Labour Party and was a consistent opponent of conscriptionConscription
Conscription is the compulsory enlistment of people in some sort of national service, most often military service. Conscription dates back to antiquity and continues in some countries to the present day under various names...
and National Service
National service
National service is a common name for mandatory government service programmes . The term became common British usage during and for some years following the Second World War. Many young people spent one or more years in such programmes...
. Over the Suez canal
Suez Canal
The Suez Canal , also known by the nickname "The Highway to India", is an artificial sea-level waterway in Egypt, connecting the Mediterranean Sea and the Red Sea. Opened in November 1869 after 10 years of construction work, it allows water transportation between Europe and Asia without navigation...
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
Emrys Hughes
Emrys Hughes was a Welsh Labour politician, best known for being the biographer and son-in-law of Keir Hardie, the Scottish Labour politician.Hughes was born in Tonypandy, Wales, the son of the Reverend J. R. Hughes...
, declared that he agreed that the base was obsolete in the age of the hydrogen bomb. He was a member of the Parliamentary Temperance
Temperance movement
A temperance movement is a social movement urging reduced use of alcoholic beverages. Temperance movements may criticize excessive alcohol use, promote complete abstinence , or pressure the government to enact anti-alcohol legislation or complete prohibition of alcohol.-Temperance movement by...
Group and in 1957 supported restrictions on access to clubs selling alcohol for children.
Later career
After the 1959 general electionUnited Kingdom general election, 1959
This United Kingdom general election was held on 8 October 1959. It marked a third successive victory for the ruling Conservative Party, led by Harold Macmillan...
, Forman's attendance declined. He was one of the Members of Parliament mentioned on BBC Television's "That Was The Week That Was
That Was The Week That Was
That Was The Week That Was, also known as TW3, is a satirical television comedy programme that was shown on BBC Television in 1962 and 1963. It was devised, produced and directed by Ned Sherrin and presented by David Frost...
" on January 19, 1963 as having made no speeches in Parliament since the general election. He retired at the 1964 general election
United Kingdom general election, 1964
The United Kingdom general election of 1964 was held on 15 October 1964, more than five years after the preceding election, and thirteen years after the Conservative Party had retaken power...
.