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Blears survives deselection vote
Chris Laker19.06.09
Hazel Blears welcomed "sensible discussions" with party members after she survived a deselection vote.
The former communities secretary said the Labour party had "rallied behind me" after she kept the party's nomination for her Salford seat.
The voting was 33 against the deselection motion, 12 for and one abstention as some 80 people packed into the meeting in Salford last night.
Ms Blears said: "We have had one of the most sensible discussions that I have had about this issue for weeks and weeks.
"I'm at a loss as to how I got to this place but what I've had tonight is the first chance to explain myself properly to my party members."
In a sometimes fiery and passionate two-and-three-quarter hour meeting some party members berated Ms Blears for coming within a "hair's breadth" of bringing down Gordon Brown.
Accusations of "blind loyalty" were thrown around with the local party being left with a "lame duck" candidate for the next general election.
The level of "hostility and venom" was remarked upon as tempers flared.
Some local party members said they themselves had been verbally attacked in the street following the expenses scandal because they were known to be party members.
Ms Blears gave an explanation of her expenses citing inaccuracies in the way the media had reported the furore but apologised again for the timing of her resignation.
Some members attacked the media for wanting "the blood" of a working class Labour MP and accepted she had simply made mistakes.
Members accepted they had a huge job in turning round the party's popularity but said Salford and other urban areas had been transformed through Labour government and the fight would go on.
After securing her position Ms Blears said she would now focus on "bread and butter" politics, but acknowledged she had been made "incandescently angry" by the expenses allegations against her.
She told the BBC: "The absolute priority for me now is to be a bread and butter champion for the people of Salford, to go out there and campaign for Labour but also to expose what Tory party policies would mean to the people of this city and this is absolutely my priority."
Ms Blears insisted she had meant no harm with the timing of her resignation.
She explained: "My party were concerned about the timing of my resignation and I said before that I bitterly regret that.
"I would not want to damage the party in any way, shape or form, but what I also heard tonight from party members is that events of a few weeks do not wipe out 30 years of a record in local and national politics of fighting and being a champion for some of the poorest people in our country.
"That's what drives me, it motivates me every day of my life and now I've got a chance to rebuild and re-invigorate my politics."
She said intense media pressure had been a factor in making her position becoming untenable.
Ms Blears explained: "At that time, as you well know, I had had a couple of weeks of intense media scrutiny the like of which I had never known.
"I never want to know it again, not just on me but my constituents, my party members, my family and also clearly, there came a point where I did feel I was singled out in terms of expenses, my position became untenable.
"I genuinely thought as Jacqui Smith had said she was going, that I could say that I was going without creating such a scale of fire storm.
"Clearly that was wrong of me in hindsight."
On wearing a provocative brooch on the day of her resignation, she said: "By that time I was just incandescently angry.
"I felt that I was being run out of office on the basis of untrue allegations. I was angry with the whole situation.
"I was particularly angry with the media, because it has been impossible to get the message across."
The news that Ms Blears would stay in her post was met with shouts of "Hazel out" by protesters in front of Salford Civic Centre.
Stephen Kingston, one of the organisers of the demonstration said: "The reaction is that it shows the Labour party in Salford is completely and absolutely out of touch with their own voters, with the people of Salford.
"Labour is supposed to be the party of the working class, so why aren't they listening to the working class in Salford? The campaign will definitely continue. This is just the start of it."
Reader views (30)
The people of Salford would have deselected her
- A Trebilcock, Manchester uk
still no prosecutions of Mps,just what are the police up to,or not in this case!!
- Jean, London England
Did you think we would have any and yet still some fools still voted for these low lifes
- Mazzy, london
"Ms Blears gave an explanation of her expenses citing inaccuracies in the way the media had reported the furore" She lied about her second home in order to avoid paying capital gains tax. Tax avoidance is theft.
- Keith Lonsdale, Doncaster
Don't like the woman or her politics. Certainly don't like her manner. But it was up to her local party to say yea or nay. Regardless of how many were there, they were the ones who cared enough to make their wishes known. Her candidacy in the next election is as legitimate as the next because of it.
....now if there are further legal ramifications to the claims and similar issues, that might not remain the case....
- Rogan, Irving
still no prosecutions of Mps,just what are the police up to,or not in this case!!
- Jean, London England
80 people attended, 45 voted - ringing endorement.
- Jeremy E, Home Counties
I’m glad she’s back in the fold so to speak, for although she jumped the gun. At least this Girl has GUTs.
Not only that, she’s easier on the eye than looking at other front bench ministers, well done Gordon in your decision.
- Carl Barron, Christchurch, Dorset
Why has this woman not been arrested and interviewed by HMRC for tax evasion?
Her survival at local party level just goes to show how gullible those that vote NuLiebour really are. Open your eyes, you fools!
- Keith Lonsdale, Doncaster
Salford !! you really have to worry about these Labour oiks from Manchester, if they can accept what she has done without de-selecting her then clearly Manchester is a more corrupt place than I thought.
- Nick Holland, glasgow
She is much more effective on television when she doesn't smile (effective in the sense of not making you want to scrape your fingernails on a blackboard for relief), but the only time I have seen her stop smiling is when she thinks she is in serious trouble or near tears. Otherwise, she is a fine politician, in the John Prescott league.
- Bloke, London
Hazel Blears said the Labour party had 'rallied behind me. Sorry Ms Blears thirty three members rallied behind you. Unfortunately for you, the Salford electorate number rather more than thirty three.
- Seabee, London, UK
The arrogance of this woman is beyond belief.
She epitomises the current Labour party, they were voted in on promises and keep themselves in by lies and deceit.
- Dereck, London, England
I sincerely hope this woman does not stand at the next election I could not bear the thought of having to look at her ignorant, smirking face for another 4 or 5 years. Assuming Labour get in again, of course.
- Graham Rodhouse, Helmond, Netherlands
I can forgive the cheating, lying, lack of morals, lack of decency and contempt for the public but I cannot forgive that pancaked visage, truly awful please don't show that picture again.
- Mr Pastry, Brisbane
People of Salford, you know what to do come the next election. Go to it.
- Ken, Brighton, East Sussex
That is fine, the more this odious woman's face is splashed around in the media the better.
If she had any principles or morals she would stand down. But given she is a Labour politician her arrogance will not allow her to.
- Frank, Home Counties, England.
What a gaggle of snivelling hypocrites in Salford.
This woman should be queueing at the Job Centre with the thousands of others on the dole.
She is wholly unemployable - as the voters will decide at the General Election.
GOOD RIDDANCE TO BAD RUBBISH.
- Reuben Camara, Morecambe UK
The lady has exercised poor judgement in everything she's done, and therefore an ideal Labour candidate for the simpletons of Salford. It just makes me wonder what alternatives the Party constituency were faced with to reselect her? They must have been desperate?
- Albert Swift, Aberdeen, Scotland
According to the BBC web site, John Cullen is quoted as saying, "There was a full, frank, open, honest and comradely debate of no confidence in Hazel as candidate for the next general election,". Comradely! Yes the New Labour Politburo system is alive and well.
- Bj, London
Let us hope we see the last of the little woman at the forthcoming general election.
- Michael, Kensington, UK
"I would not want to damage the party in any way, shape or form..."
Just having you in it does that! Pathetic really, they're still trying to blame the media. How can anyone vote for these people (enlighten me please Val Daniels/Keith Price)? Still, blears will be deselected by the electorate next year.
- Chris, Brighton, England.
I am sure the voters of Salford will show her the door at the next chance its just a pity nu labour activists aint got the nuts to ditch this odius self server.
- Les, Norf London
Survived? Vote? Oh, may I presume that this article refers to the tame, boneheaded gathering of last evening at the soon to be demolished New Labour stronghold in Salford?
But, I wonder if this airhead will survive the vote that really matters - the General Election - when our snivelling bottler, the unelected PM from Fife, decides to call it.
- Ted, London
Glad she survived. Just shows the rest of the nation how stupid grass roots Labour is. Roll on the election - always assuming it isn't cancelled on the grounds that it would offend someone's human rights.
- Martin, cheltenham
So you CAN fool all of the people all of the time !
Let's see if the Manchester morons re-elect this odious woman !
- Cap, london
THE FINAL SAY IS WITH US. WHY NOT AT THE NEXT GENERAL ELECTION VOTE AGAINST EVERY SITTING MP. LET START WITH A TOTALLY NEW BUNCH. AFTER ALL THE NO DIFFERENCE BETWEEN LEFT RIGHT OR WHATEVER.
- Alan Green, Woodford Green
I was at a loss to understand how she has managed to remain as MP, but it's all so clear now, and again shows the complete lack of democracy we have here in the UK. It wasn't her constituents who had the choice, it was the members of her local Labour party. A massive anount of 80 (!!!) decided it. I absolutely despair at the state we're in, we're powerless and we need to change that. But let's vote these swine out first, although something a bit more violent and direct seems to be a better idea as each day passes. I don't like the Royal Family but I reckon old queenie could do a lot better than this lot, and do it a damn sight cheaper too. And let's face it, she can't screw up any worse can she?
- Ted, London England
What's with this cheat's constant inane grin - can't she clain media coaching on expenses
- David, SOUTHAMPTON
The voters will have their say at the next election and this despicable creature will be kicked out of office. Blears' two main regrets are that she was caught with her hand in the till and she will not be able to continue thieving from the public purse as we shall be scrutinising every claim she and all the other crooks in government make in future.
- R.F., Yorks, UK
You can't blame them for wanting to cling on to the 'gravy train'. When you've had your nose so deeply pushed into the public money trough for so many years...enjoying FREE MONEY and getting everything paid for by the tax payer...it must be difficult to walk away.
- Robert Brett, Basildon, Essex, England
