HAZEL Blears survived a vote of no confidence last night during a bruising showdown with her local party.

Members of the Salford MP’s Constituency Labour Party voted 33 to 12 in favour of the former Communities Secretary with one delegate abstaining.

Ms Blears emerged from the meeting saying she was 'heartened' that her members had ralied behind her.

But the MP came in for fierce criticism during the heated three-hour session held behind closed doors.

Among the accusations levelled at the MP during the meeting were that she had nearly brought down the government with her actions.

It was also suggested that she was a 'lame-duck' candidate who couldn't win for Labour.

Outside the Swinton Civic Centre, where the meeting was held, around 50 protesters gathered, some waving placards and chanting: "Hazel out!" 

Ms Blears said that it had been a 'full, frank and open meeting'.

She said: "The people in that room are the people who know me the best and what is really heartening is that they rallied behind me and are determined we go forward as a united party."

Among those to condemn the beleaguered MP during the meeting was ex-Salford council leader Bill Hinds who said at the meeting he was ‘disturbed’ by Ms Blears conduct.

Members of the CLP put forward two no-confidence motions after controversy about Ms Blears’ expenses claims and her decision to quit the government on the eve of the Euro elections.

The motions were tabled by the Pendlebury and the Swinton North branches of the CLP.

Councillor Hinds said Ms Blears and other MPs had taken advantage of the flawed MPs’ expenses system - which he compared with a malignant cancer.

Speaking on behalf of the Swinton branch of the CLP, Councillor Hinds said Ms Blears had brought the party into disrepute.

Councillor Hinds - now the council’s finance boss - then proposed that the entire membership of the CLP should be consulted on Ms Blears’ future.

But delegates at the meeting voted by 28 to 16 to proceed to an immediate vote on the no-confidence motion rather than consult the membership.

In her interview following the meeting, Ms Blears said it had been her first opportunity to discuss the expenses issues.

"Many of the allegations have been untrue and I was able to get that across to people," she said.

"The majority of the meeting wasn't about expenses, it was more people wanting to know about the resignation and the timing and I was able to give an explanation about that."

Last week Ms Blears gave a frank interview to our sister paper the Manchester Evening News and apologised for her ‘cruel’ - YouTube if you want to - joke about Prime Minister Gordon Brown’s attempt to boost popularity with a video on the sharing site.

She also said she regretted a brooch saying ‘Rocking the Boat’ on the day after she quit the government.