MP Rebecca Long-Bailey receives Honorary Doctorate from University

Salford and Eccles MP Rebecca Long-Bailey received an honorary doctorate from the University of Bolton and described it as “the greatest honour so far in my political career”.

Former Shadow Cabinet member Mrs Long-Bailey was awarded a Doctor of Social Science for her outstanding contribution to local and national politics.

She said: “I am staggered and really honoured. I am delighted to be a part of the Bolton University community.”

Mrs Long-Bailey received the Honorary Doctorate in a unique Covid-secure ceremony which was filmed for a special movie documenting this year’s innovative ‘Alternative Graduation’.

The University of Bolton is one of the only ones in the UK to have invited graduands from this year and last to be presented with their degrees in person and their gowns, giving them the chance to have official photographs of their special day.

Mrs Long-Bailey has been the MP for Salford and Eccles since 2015 and has served in the Labour Shadow Cabinet as Shadow Chief Secretary to the Treasury, Shadow Secretary for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy and Shadow Education Secretary.

She has fought to alter the narrative on green economics to focus on the potential of the green industry to revitalise areas that had suffered from decades of industrial decline.

She has campaigned to use the power of new and innovative publicly-led business structures to distribute the prosperity generated to local communities.

Mrs Long-Bailey grew up in Manchester, close to Old Trafford football ground. Her interest in politics came at an early age, from seeing her parents and other local families' struggles.