He served on both the General Council of the Trades Union Congress and the National Executive Committee of the Labour Party.
[1][2] In 1958, Forden was elected to the General Council of the Trades Union Congress (TUC), despite still working on the buses, it being a tradition of the TGWU that one their nominees would not work full time for the union.
He served until 1964, when he agreed to stand down, in order that Frank Cousins could take his place.
[1] Forden was elected to the National Executive Committee of the Labour Party in 1968, replacing Harry Nicholas, who had been appointed as General Secretary of the Labour Party.
[2] Forden also served as a delegate to the International Transport Workers' Federation and the Manchester and Salford Trades Council.