Star date: 24th July 2019

EXPENSES SCANDAL FORMER MINISTER GETS HONOURED

Hazel Blears, the former Salford MP and Cabinet Minister who was at the centre of the MPs expenses scandal ten years ago has been recognised with an honorary doctorate from the University of Salford.

Blears has been recognised for her work fighting dementia, rather than her political career, and says "If you want something enough and work hard for it then you can achieve whatever you want..."

Full details here...

Former Salford MP and Cabinet Minister, Hazel Blears, has been recognised for her work fighting against dementia with an honorary doctorate at the University of Salford.

Blears, the pin up girl for the MPs expenses scandal ten years ago*, was last seen earning £85,000 for a few days work a month at the Co-Op and Social Investment Business (see here), while she sold up and left Salford a few years ago, apparently with a house in the South of France and one in Cumbria.

"I was brought up in a two bedroom house In Salford with a tin bath but my mum always said we could do anything we wanted if we worked hard enough" she told the University "The world could be our oyster. My upbringing gave me the grit I needed to fight to succeed and played a huge part in my success.

"I would say the same to the graduates today" she added "If you want something enough and work hard for it then you can achieve whatever you want. Just keep going."

Hazel's mum, Dorothy, developed dementia and Hazel helped her dad Arthur to care for her, which led to an involvement in the fight against the condition, being a founder member and Chair of the University's Dementia Institute which develops and evaluates research into maximising the independence and quality of life of those with the disease and their friends, families and carers.

"I'm very proud of the work that goes on at the Institute for Dementia" she said "What makes it different is that a lot of the activity is driven by people living with the condition. We are making good progress in the fight against dementia thanks to places like this in Salford.

"We looked after my mum at home so I know how hard it can be for the families as well as the people with the condition themselves" she added "The work the Institute does is vital."

Hazel can now add the doctorate to the various Salford Star Mary Burns Awards she has won over the years...

The Nice Work If You Get Can It Award – click here

Bum of the Year Award – click here

Palm D'Or Award – click here

* For full details of the Hazel Blears expenses scandal see previous Salford Star articles – click here  and click here and click here