Hazel Anne Blears is a British Labour Party politician, who was the Member of Parliament for Salford and Eccles from 2010 to 2015, when she stood down. Prior to the creation of the Salford and Eccles constituency, she was the MP for Salford from 1997.
She served in the Cabinet as Minister without Portfolio and Chairman of the Labour Party between 2006 and 2007, and Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government from 2007 to 2009, when she resigned.
Commenting on the announcement, Prime Minister Gordon Brown said that Blears had made an "outstanding contribution" to public life even after refusing to pay back expenses which were claimed in breach of Parliamentary rules.
Regarding the decision to invade Iraq. "Monbiot meets... Hazel Blears," http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/georgemonbiot/video/2009/apr/25/monbiot-meets-hazel-blears The Guardian (2009-05-05)
