... flash of arrogance he showed in savagely criticizing his Cabinet colleagues in interviews with his biographer, whose book has just been published. The blind 57-year-old showed enormous dedication and strength of character to overcome his disability in his rise to power within New Labour. Born in Sheffield, he suffered the loss of his father at a young age, when the gasworks foreman was killed in a horrific industrial accident. The future Home Secretary was educated at Sheffield School for the Blind from the age of four and the Royal Normal College for the Blind, Shrewsbury, where he studied Braille, typing and shorthand. Lonely and living away from home, he drove himself to achieve academically. After leaving school, Mr. Blunkett went back to Sheffield and worked for the Gas Board, studying economics, politics and economic history A-levels in the evenings. Later, he attended Sheffield University where he obtained an honours degree ...

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