Hazel Blears bows out of government to mixed reviews

8 Jun 09
Former communities and local government secretary Hazel Blears has been praised for her commitment to community politics and public participation in decision-making

By Vivienne Russell

05 June 2009

Former communities and local government secretary Hazel Blears has been praised for her commitment to community politics and public participation in decision-making.

Chris Leslie, director of the New Local Government Network, paid tribute to the Salford MP, who resigned from the government on June 3.

‘Hazel focused closely on community cohesion and citizens’ empowerment issues during her tenure at the DCLG and the current Bill making its way through the Commons is testament to her work,’ he told Public Finance. ‘Nobody could ever doubt Hazel’s passionate commitment to grassroots community politics.’

Reflecting on her time in office, George Jones, emeritus professor of government at the London School of Economics, told PF: ‘She gave the agenda of public participation a significant push. I wish at the same time she had been as innovatory about enhancing the role of local councils and councillors.’

Jones noted that it was to Blears that Sir Michael Lyons presented the conclusions of his inquiry into local government reform. ‘On the very day the Lyons report was published, her department poured cold water on its main proposals,’ he said.

Blears announced her resignation on the eve of the local government and European elections. She had faced severe criticism over her conduct in the expenses row.

In her resignation statement, Blears said she wanted to return to the community politics that she has long championed.

‘I am returning to the grassroots (where I began), to political activism, to the cut and thrust of political debate,’ she said.

Tony Travers, local government expert and director of the Greater London Group at the LSE, said Blears was unlucky to have been secretary of state at a time when the government was ‘ideas- and policy-free’.

‘Her undoubted Tigger-like enthusiasm and chirpiness counted for rather more than her department achieving very much.

‘The sum total of the DCLG’s activities in recent years hasn’t been very great,’ he said.

 

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