The Rt Hon Professor the Lord David Blunkett

Commendation

"Chancellor, Vice-Chancellor, and all our guests here today, it gives me great pleasure to be presenting The Right Honourable Professor the Lord David Blunkett for the award of Honorary Doctor of the University.

David is one of Britain’s most respected and prominent politicians of recent decades. His career has focused on improving the lives of others, whether through social mobility, access to education or breaking down barriers and misconceptions around disability. He has overcome many barriers in his own life to lead a remarkable career.

Blind since birth, David experienced hardship growing up in Sheffield. He was sent to a state boarding school for blind children at the age of four and his family struggled when he lost his father in a works accident at the age of 12. He found himself at 16 with no qualifications, having been denied the opportunity to take any mainstream exams. 

Educated at evening class (and on day release from work) he entered the University of Sheffield as a mature student, graduating in Politics in 1972. He went on to become a tutor in post-16 education. His experiences sparked a determination to promote greater equality of opportunity and improved access to education for all.

In 1970, whilst still at university, David’s passion for politics led him to contest and win a seat on Sheffield’s city council, making him the youngest ever city councillor in Sheffield. He became the council’s leader in 1980.

In 1987, David was elected Member of Parliament for Sheffield Brightside and he remained in the House of Commons for the next 28 years. He joined the incoming Labour government in 1997, and served for eight years in Tony Blair’s Cabinet, holding the posts of Education and Employment Secretary, Home Secretary and Secretary of State for Work and Pensions. He was the Home Secretary in charge of MI5 at the time of the attack on the Twin Towers in the United States on the 11th of September 2001.

After leaving Parliament in 2015, David worked with a number of key charities, as well as advising on a range of issues including cyber security, education and skills. He was offered a seat in the House of Lords, taking the title of Lord Blunkett, of Brightside and Hillsborough in the City of Sheffield. He also took up a post as Professor of Politics in Practice at the University of Sheffield Department of Politics and became Chair of the board of the University of Law based in London. More recently, David led on the production of a major report on the future of education and skills for Sir Keir Starmer, then Leader of the Opposition. 

David’s values are firmly aligned to the University’s. He worked closely with the institution in 2020 to shape policy within the sector through the ‘Arriving at Thriving’ inquiry, which looked at the experiences of disabled students in Higher Education. The work led to significantly improved experiences and degree outcomes, and this learning continues to be shared across the sector. 

David’s determination to succeed in the face of adversity and to encourage others to reach their full potential is inspirational. His legacy extends far beyond his political achievements and demonstrates that with perseverance, passion, generosity and a good sense of humour, anything is possible.

Chancellor, in recognition of his outstanding achievements in public service, and his extensive work to promote social mobility and improved access to education, we are delighted to award David Blunkett the honorary degree of Doctor of the University."

[December 2025]