Nigel Forman - Early Career

Early Career

Forman was educated at Shrewsbury School, New College, Oxford, the College of Europe (Bruges), Harvard University and Sussex University. He obtained various degrees from these institutions including an Master of Public Administration from Harvard, a Certificate of Advanced European Studies (equivalent to a master's degree) from the College of Europe (class of 1965-1966) and a Ph.D from Sussex University. His first significant job was from 1967 to 1968 as an information officer at the Confederation of British Industry.

In 1968 he joined the Conservative Research Department ('CRD' - the research operation of the Conservative Party) and began the quest to find himself a seat in Parliament. He progressed rapidly in the CRD, acting as ‘external affairs adviser’ to Edward Heath while the latter was leader of the opposition. He served Margaret Thatcher in the same capacity from 1975 to 1976. He achieved the rank of assistant director with special responsibility for European affairs,

He contested the Coventry North East constituency for the Conservatives in the February 1974 general election but was not elected. After the elevation of Robert Carr MP to the peerage in 1976, Forman was adopted as the Conservative candidate for the parliamentary seat (Carshalton) that Carr was vacating.