The former Communities Minister described her efforts to build new groups representing young and female British Muslims in order to counter traditional male-dominated groups.
The Salford MP blamed the lack of wider representation for British Muslims as a factor in growing dissatisfaction with mainstream politics.
She told a Labour Party fringe meeting how the Government had tried to engage with other groups as well as long-standing organisations such as the Muslim Council for Britain (MCB) - and even created her own groups made up of young women professionals.
She said: "We recognised that there was a danger of the Government only being seen to engage with one organisation, which was wrong because it squeezed out other voices. There are a lot of young people and new people coming up and their voices should be heard.
"I helped set up a group called Muslim Women's Advisory Group. They call themselves the MWAGs. I never called them that. That was what they called themselves."
The senior Labour politician, who was speaking at a fringe meeting about radical Islam, also called for action against other extremist groups, including the English Defence League, calling on mainstream parties to unite against the group but not to take to the streets.
The meeting also heard from writer Ed Husain, a former radical who wrote about his change of views in a best-selling book. He told the meeting that integration was hampered by the lack of communal spaces in British society. He said: "Common communal spaces in Britain tend to be the pub.
For right or wrong you won't find many Muslims in the pub and even if they are there drinking orange juice it really isn't the same. I don't know the answer to that but it is an issue."
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Hazel Blears defeats radical Islam! This woman is just a joke! Too long in Government has gone to her head! Muslims must just be laughing at her! I wonder if the majority of Muslims share her views on what constitutes radical Islam! I very much doubt it.
I am no fan of, nor apologist for Blears and on the face of it this could be characterised as utter rubbish, as I am sure some will do so. Many will also attack Blears on this simply for being Blears.
The article's author (please put your name to this) picks up an excellent point from Ed Husain, i.e. that of communcal spaces in British society.
As Blears will know, in her own constituency numerous ethnic groups run regular events in attempts to reach out, engage and integrate with the wider community. It is a pity that these events are rarely reciprocated.
I detest Hazel Blears specially since claiming for all those expensis where her husbands income topped several million from a claims law company in Liverpool. Do you really want to trust a millionaire who want the tax payer to cough up for a bath plug?
This is Blears promoting herself again, nothing more.
She defeated communism. And found the cure for rabies. At the weekend she's God.
Sorry but why is this woman still speaking? Surely nobody is listening any more. Although for anyone still stupid enough t pay a blind bit of notice to the idiot, I've got a better way of preventing "radicalism". Stop illegally invading Muslim countries on extremely spurious grounds thus solving the problem at source.
"We recognised that there was a danger of the Government only being seen to engage with one organisation....................." so I decided to make another one up that they could also be seen to be engaging with. And I never called them the MWAGS, I swear. I never, see. It was them wot did it. Them I tells ya!!!!!
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I think Hazel, the reason why muslims may not be overly keen on 'mainstream politics' (I think she means British politicians) is because your glorious leader, TB, went after Bush like a lap dog and started trying to bomb Muslim countries back to the stone age for no truly justifiable reason. Oh. The WMD. Ahem...erm.....yes....about that.............
Oh I suppose that if there's another terrorist atrocity it'll be the fault of those Muslims who had nothing to do with it. Collective blame / punishment?
i blame the people who voted for her,after the expences fiasco she should have booted out
Her expenses claims (legal/illegal and those repaid and those not repaid) could certainly fund lots of pressure groups.This sounds like a soundbite clutching at straws to regain some sort of credence.It should be noted that she quite rightly decided not to stand for election again to Labour Party NEC.
She is certainly no fool and I would never suggest that,but she is realistic enough to know that had she stood for the NEC ,a defeat would have followed.Well( this is a joke really) how about she makes a childs play film as Chucky the crazed doll ,or applies to be a stand in for the Krankies? You could not make it up wait for Oct 20th and watch the rats leaving the ships and changing clothes...........
She classed her house as her "first home" for capital gains tax purposes and her "second home" for parliamentary expenses purposes. That tells me all I need to know about her; I consider her too slimy to listen to her views.
New family guy lyrics:
"it seems today... that all you see... is violence in movies... and ugly old ladies on tv"
Do I still live in Great Britain? Sometimes I wonder!
is it HAZEL BLEARS OR HAZEL BLAH BLAH BLAH put a sock in it you stupid woman
What is this woman on? Another waste of money on alien culture.
24,878 voted against her being elected 16,655 for her to be elected and she won. Does she represent the majority of people??? How is this democratic??
I think Hazel has missed the point that real islamic wives rarely venture out and when they do, they do as their husband would wish.
Get off the stage Hazel, you're an old act and we're bored.
Hazel Blears is one of the best MPs. I had a meeting with her a few years ago. You lot just can't handle a powerful, confident woman!
Incompetent Balloonist, 47000 ft over Nuthurst Park (29/09/2010 at 11:39)
I think Hazel has missed the point that real islamic wives rarely venture out and when they do, they do as their husband would wish.
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Are you saying that those MUSLIM women who venture out are not really Muslims. I think you're just incompetent full stop! Or is that ignorant? Uneducated? Brainwashed by Rupert Murdoch and the likes?
Or are the non-muslims like you just peeved that their wives will sleep with anyone after a few drinks.
don't you mean Hazel Blaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhhhhhs
did hazel ever pay back all these thousands of pounds she over claimed on her expenses ???
Did HRC actually cash the cheque you sent Ms Blears, and if so for how much - we demand an answer!
Hazel go away please
Hazel Blears is once again caught out, as she calls the last 13yrs of Labour "Wicked and Malicious" as she forgot that she was very much a part of that and heavily involved in their policies. After being caught out over her expense claims she seems to have learnt nothing and continues to tell people one thing in fringe meetings then another story to every one else. Can the people of Salford really trust their MP, who fiddles expenses and lies so blatantly, to put their interests first, not on her track record tof deceit hey can't
So Ed husain wants a place where people talk garbage after a few drinks, to meet in a place where you talk garbage after no drinks.