 Blunkett became chair of the David Ross Education Trust, one of Britain's largest Multi-Academy Trusts, sponsored by Carphone Warehouse founder David Ross, in 2015.He resigned in 2017 along with several others members of board when the sponsor would not acknowledge or take action on major issues raised about governance procedures, and the blocking of an independent review initiated by Blunkett and the then Chief Executive Wendy Marshall.Blunkett was appointed as Professor of Politics in Practice at the University of Sheffield in June 2015.