Lord Heseltine receives his Honorary Fellowship

British businessman, The Rt Hon, The Lord Heseltine of Thenford, CH, has received an Honorary Fellowship from the University of Northampton at this year’s Summer Graduation.

Reverend Will Adams presented Lord Heseltine with his award at the Royal & Derngate during the ceremony on Thursday 18 July at 10:45am.

Lord Heseltine, Conservative politician and patron of the Tory Reform Group, was a Member of Parliament from 1966 to 2001, and a prominent figure in the governments of Margaret Thatcher and John Major. Under the Prime Ministership of John Major, Lord Heseltine rose to become President of the Board of Trade, Deputy Prime Minister and first Secretary of State.

In 1979 he joined the Cabinet as Secretary of State for the Environment, and from 1983 to 1986 he held the position of Secretary of State for Defence.

After the Conservatives’ defeat in 1997, he was made a Companion of Honour and upon his retirement from the Commons in 2001 was given a life peerage as Baron Heseltine of Thenford, Northamptonshire.

Since the arrival of the Coalition into power, he was commissioned to draw a plan to stimulate growth in local areas. In recent months his report, No Stone Unturned made 89 recommendations of which 81 were adopted.

Lord Heseltine, commented: “It’s a great honour to receive this Honorary Fellowship and is particularly satisfying as it’s the University of the county where I live.”

Reverend Will Adams commented: “Lord Heseltine has certainly been one of the most colourful politicians of my generation. There can be little doubt that regardless of one’s own political persuasion many would recognise and acknowledge his impact on public life.”

Over 3,000 students will be graduating from the University of Northampton this summer, 2,000 of which will be celebrating with family members and friends at the annual Summer Graduation ceremonies over the course of the week: Tuesday 16 July to Friday 19 July.