Robert Forgan
Encyclopedia
Robert Forgan was a British
politician who was a close associate of Oswald Mosley
.
-born Forgan was the son of a Church of Scotland
minister. Educated up to doctorate level at Aberdeen Grammar School
, and the Universities of Aberdeen
and Cambridge
, he entered the medical profession and served in this capacity in World War I
. Dr. Forgan became a leading light in his field, serving as Vice-President of the Medical Society for the Study of Venereal Diseases and became recognised as a leading expert on Sexually transmitted diseases. He served as a Public Health Officer in Glasgow
and in this capacity he adopted socialism
due to the poor conditions in the city.
after seeing active service in the war. Initially a member of the Independent Labour Party
, he was elected to Parliament for West Renfrewshire in the 1929 general election
. An early triumph saw him secure the installation of a ventilation system into the House of Commons
, although after this he became a fairly marginal figure. Forgan was one of the signatories of the 'Mosley Memorandum' which outlined his political vision and he followed Mosley into the New Party
when it was set up soon afterwards. He was appointed to a council for policy and strategy formation that was set up to decide the running of the party and also acted as Chief Whip
during the New Party's brief run in Parliament. At the 1931 general election
, Forgan polled 1,304 votes in West Renfrewshire in what represented one of the better results for the New Party in a disappointing election. A close friend of Oswald Mosley
, Forgan was godfather to his son Michael.
and was initially Director of Organisation. This administrative role did not prove suitable and soon he became an important background figure, arranging private functions with leading businessmen in an attempt to secure support for Mosley and organising the January Club
to this end. Forgan was keen to stress that the BUF had no ban on Jews
despite the activities of Adolf Hitler
. Indeed Forgan attempted to court influential Jews, such as Liberal
MP Harry Nathan
and Sir Philip Magnus-Allcroft, 2nd Baronet, through the January Club and even held meetings with the leaders of the Board of Deputies of British Jews
. Forgan was also keen to keep the BUF aloof from rival far right
groups such as the Imperial Fascist League
as he felt it was essential to avoid making the BUF seem too foreign in ideological terms.
As a result of his work, Forgan was promoted to deputy leader. He held that position until 1934 when he left the BUF because of their drift towards anti-Semitism
. Forgan in particular disliked the growing influence of William Joyce
, a staunch anti-Semite. He took no further role in politics.
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...
politician who was a close associate of Oswald Mosley
Oswald Mosley
Sir Oswald Ernald Mosley, 6th Baronet, of Ancoats, was an English politician, known principally as the founder of the British Union of Fascists...
.
Early life and medical career
The ScottishScotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
-born Forgan was the son of a Church of Scotland
Church of Scotland
The Church of Scotland, known informally by its Scots language name, the Kirk, is a Presbyterian church, decisively shaped by the Scottish Reformation....
minister. Educated up to doctorate level at Aberdeen Grammar School
Aberdeen Grammar School
Aberdeen Grammar School, known to students as The Grammar is a state secondary school in the City of Aberdeen, Scotland. It is one of twelve secondary schools run by the Aberdeen City Council educational department...
, and the Universities of Aberdeen
University of Aberdeen
The University of Aberdeen, an ancient university founded in 1495, in Aberdeen, Scotland, is a British university. It is the third oldest university in Scotland, and the fifth oldest in the United Kingdom and wider English-speaking world...
and Cambridge
University of Cambridge
The University of Cambridge is a public research university located in Cambridge, United Kingdom. It is the second-oldest university in both the United Kingdom and the English-speaking world , and the seventh-oldest globally...
, he entered the medical profession and served in this capacity in World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
. Dr. Forgan became a leading light in his field, serving as Vice-President of the Medical Society for the Study of Venereal Diseases and became recognised as a leading expert on Sexually transmitted diseases. He served as a Public Health Officer 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...
and in this capacity he adopted socialism
Socialism
Socialism is an economic system characterized by social ownership of the means of production and cooperative management of the economy; or a political philosophy advocating such a system. "Social ownership" may refer to any one of, or a combination of, the following: cooperative enterprises,...
due to the poor conditions in the city.
ILP and New Party
Forgan entered local politics as a member of Glasgow councilPolitics of Glasgow
Politics in Glasgow, Scotland, is evident in the deliberations and decisions of the city council of Glasgow , in elections to the council, and in elections to the Scottish Parliament and the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom .In the European Parliament, the city area is...
after seeing active service in the war. Initially a member of the Independent Labour Party
Independent Labour Party
The Independent Labour Party was a socialist political party in Britain established in 1893. The ILP was affiliated to the Labour Party from 1906 to 1932, when it voted to leave...
, he was elected to Parliament for West Renfrewshire in the 1929 general election
United Kingdom general election, 1929
-Seats summary:-References:*F. W. S. Craig, British Electoral Facts: 1832-1987*-External links:***...
. An early triumph saw him secure the installation of a ventilation system into the House of Commons
British House of Commons
The House of Commons is the lower house of the Parliament of the United Kingdom, which also comprises the Sovereign and the House of Lords . Both Commons and Lords meet in the Palace of Westminster. The Commons is a democratically elected body, consisting of 650 members , who are known as Members...
, although after this he became a fairly marginal figure. Forgan was one of the signatories of the 'Mosley Memorandum' which outlined his political vision and he followed Mosley into the New Party
New Party (Oswald Mosley)
The New Party was a political party briefly active in the United Kingdom in the early 1930s. It was formed by Sir Oswald Mosley, an MP who had belonged to both the Conservative and Labour parties, quitting Labour after its 1930 conference narrowly rejected his "Mosley Memorandum", a document he...
when it was set up soon afterwards. He was appointed to a council for policy and strategy formation that was set up to decide the running of the party and also acted as Chief Whip
Chief Whip
The Chief Whip is a political office in some legislatures assigned to an elected member whose task is to administer the whipping system that ensures that members of the party attend and vote as the party leadership desires.-The Whips Office:...
during the New Party's brief run in Parliament. At the 1931 general election
United Kingdom general election, 1931
The United Kingdom general election on Tuesday 27 October 1931 was the last in the United Kingdom not held on a Thursday. It was also the last election, and the only one under universal suffrage, where one party received an absolute majority of the votes cast.The 1931 general election was the...
, Forgan polled 1,304 votes in West Renfrewshire in what represented one of the better results for the New Party in a disappointing election. A close friend of Oswald Mosley
Oswald Mosley
Sir Oswald Ernald Mosley, 6th Baronet, of Ancoats, was an English politician, known principally as the founder of the British Union of Fascists...
, Forgan was godfather to his son Michael.
British Union of Fascists
Forgan joined Mosley's British Union of FascistsBritish Union of Fascists
The British Union was a political party in the United Kingdom formed in 1932 by Sir Oswald Mosley as the British Union of Fascists, in 1936 it changed its name to the British Union of Fascists and National Socialists and then in 1937 to simply the British Union...
and was initially Director of Organisation. This administrative role did not prove suitable and soon he became an important background figure, arranging private functions with leading businessmen in an attempt to secure support for Mosley and organising the January Club
January Club
The January Club was a discussion group founded in 1934 by Oswald Mosley to attract Establishment support for the movement known as the British Union of Fascists....
to this end. Forgan was keen to stress that the BUF had no ban on Jews
Jews
The Jews , also known as the Jewish people, are a nation and ethnoreligious group originating in the Israelites or Hebrews of the Ancient Near East. The Jewish ethnicity, nationality, and religion are strongly interrelated, as Judaism is the traditional faith of the Jewish nation...
despite the activities of Adolf Hitler
Adolf Hitler
Adolf Hitler was an Austrian-born German politician and the leader of the National Socialist German Workers Party , commonly referred to as the Nazi Party). He was Chancellor of Germany from 1933 to 1945, and head of state from 1934 to 1945...
. Indeed Forgan attempted to court influential Jews, such as Liberal
Liberal Party (UK)
The Liberal Party was one of the two major political parties of the United Kingdom during the 19th and early 20th centuries. It was a third party of negligible importance throughout the latter half of the 20th Century, before merging with the Social Democratic Party in 1988 to form the present day...
MP Harry Nathan
Harry Nathan, 1st Baron Nathan
Harry Louis Nathan, 1st Baron Nathan, PC was a Liberal politician, who later joined the Labour Party....
and Sir Philip Magnus-Allcroft, 2nd Baronet, through the January Club and even held meetings with the leaders of the Board of Deputies of British Jews
Board of Deputies of British Jews
The Board of Deputies of British Jews is the main representative body of British Jews. Founded in 1760 as a joint committee of the Sephardi and Ashkenazi Jewish communities in London, it has since become a widely recognised forum for the views of the different sectors of the UK Jewish...
. Forgan was also keen to keep the BUF aloof from rival far right
Far right
Far-right, extreme right, hard right, radical right, and ultra-right are terms used to discuss the qualitative or quantitative position a group or person occupies within right-wing politics. Far-right politics may involve anti-immigration and anti-integration stances towards groups that are...
groups such as the Imperial Fascist League
Imperial Fascist League
The Imperial Fascist League was a British fascist political movement founded by Arnold Leese in 1929.-Origins:Leese had originally been a member of the British Fascists and indeed had been one of only two members ever to hold elected office for them...
as he felt it was essential to avoid making the BUF seem too foreign in ideological terms.
As a result of his work, Forgan was promoted to deputy leader. He held that position until 1934 when he left the BUF because of their drift towards anti-Semitism
Anti-Semitism
Antisemitism is suspicion of, hatred toward, or discrimination against Jews for reasons connected to their Jewish heritage. According to a 2005 U.S...
. Forgan in particular disliked the growing influence of William Joyce
William Joyce
William Joyce , nicknamed Lord Haw-Haw, was an Irish-American fascist politician and Nazi propaganda broadcaster to the United Kingdom during the Second World War. He was hanged for treason by the British as a result of his wartime activities, even though he had renounced his British nationality...
, a staunch anti-Semite. He took no further role in politics.