Cherie Booth relinquishes 'privilege' of being JMU Chancellor.

PRIME Minister's wife Cherie Booth QC yesterday stepped down as Chancellor of Liverpool John Moores University.

Ms Booth visited the university to make her final address after seven years in the position.

In a ceremony at Liverpool's Anglican Cathedral, she was given the honorary position of Emeritus Chancellor instead.

Ms Booth, who was raised in Waterloo, said: "It has been a great privilege to serve as Chancellor for such an outstanding university.

"Like the City of Liverpool, LJMU is thoroughly modern but recognises its historical origins.

"It is a place where people want to work and study not only because of its academic quality but also because it is highly creative and at the cutting edge in so many ways.

She added: "As chancellor, I felt it was very important to be closely involved with the work of the university because of its commitment to producing not only well-educated and lively graduates but ones well equipped to deal with modern business needs. JMU enables people from non-traditional backgrounds to not only aspire but to actually do. As someone from a non-traditional background myself, this means a lot to me."

Ms Booth - dressed in a cerise suit - addressed the ceremony, which was made up of graduates from the schools of art and design and social sciences.

She joked that she wanted to repeat her infamous rendition of Beatles' classic When I'm 64 but decided not to after her daughter threatened to divorce her.

Prof Michael Brown, JMU Vice-Chancellor, said: "Cherie Booth has been an outstanding Chancellor and champion of JMU over the last seven years. Her professional achievements mean that she is a great role model and inspiration for our students - she proves that if you have ability and work hard enough you can achieve your dreams."

CAPTION(S):

Cherie Booth and artist Antony Gormley