Controversial former Cabinet minister Clare Short is to receive an honorary degree from Bradford University this summer.

Academics have made the award in recognition of her work as International Development Secretary - a post she resigned from after the Iraq war.

An honorary degree also goes to Sir Michael Bichard, who headed Bradford's bid to be Capital of Culture and is currently chairing the Soham Inquiry.

The degrees will be awarded during a week of ceremonies in July.

The university has a prestigious School of Social and International Studies and vice-chancellor Professor Chris Taylor said Clare Short was being recognised "for her contributions to the field of international development and in particular for her achievements as Secretary of State."

He said: "It is an honour for the University of Bradford to have the opportunity to recognise the achievements of such distinguished and talented people.

"The school has a focus on diversity and, in particular, aspects of ethnicity, gender and cross-cultural awareness."

When she resigned in protest at the lack of UN involvement in post-war Iraq, Clare Short was praised by leading aid charities for increasing the overseas budget and for her work on debt relief and poverty.

Her honesty and passionate approach to the job was welcomed across the board and Save the Children said raising the issue of global poverty was "her most important legacy."

The MP for Birmingham Ladywood quit the Government after the war and has maintained criticism of Prime Minister Tony Blair for his role in taking the country into the conflict - even going so far as to demand his resignation. She was back in the news last month for accusing the Government of bugging United Nations inspectors while they were searching Iraq for weapons of mass destruction.

She has also recently hit the headlines again after trying to get Page 3 girls in newspapers banned.

Her career in Parliament started as a private secretary to a Conservative Home Office minister and found many MPs unimpressive and decided to do the job herself. She became an MP in 1983.

Sir Michael Bichard, married with three children and a Manchester United supporter for 30 years, is currently heading the Soham Inquiry into how Ian Huntley, who murdered Holly Wells and Jessica Chapman, managed to get a school caretaker's job.

Sir Michael was chairman of Bradford's Capital of Culture executive board and dubbed the bid's "man in London". He was defiant when the bid failed to make the shortlist.

He denied it was a disaster and instead looked to the future, saying: "The vision is still there and we can still achieve the aims we set out to do."

Sir Michael said: "I am delighted to be receiving an honorary degree from Bradford. The time I spent on the Capital of Culture bid was, I hope, a contributory factor and although the bid was ultimately unsuccessful it was something I look back on with pride and pleasure.."

Knighted in 1999, he already has honorary degrees from Leeds Metropolitan University, Birmingham, Middlesex and Southampton.

He was chief executive of Brent and Gloucestershire councils and in 1990 was appointed chief executive of the Benefits Agency. He worked for 20 years in local government and was also Permanent Secretary for the Department of Education and Skills.

Prof Taylor said: "We look forward to welcoming Sir Michael for his outstanding contribution to education and for his support for the City of Bradford and, in particular, for the Capital of Culture bid."