Blunkett is this year’s TPC president and attended its recent Print Futures Awards ceremony, where he made the keynote speech.

He was also the guest speaker at the Annual Luncheon in 2014.

Newly appointed TPC chief executive Neil Lovell said: "We invited Lord Blunkett to be our guest speaker this year as he is TPC's president for 2016 and is a very engaging speaker.

"The Annual Luncheon is an opportunity for the charity to bring together people working in printing, publishing and packaging to network and share the successes and challenges faced by the sector.”

The luncheon will take place on Thursday, 3 November 2016, at Stationer’s Hall, London.

Blunkett said he was looking forward to it and that it would be a "great networking event".

Elected Labour MP for Sheffield Hillsborough and Brightside in 1987, Blunkett served his constituency for 28 years, before choosing not to stand in 2015 and being granted a peerage.

During his time as an MP, Blunkett was a member of the Labour frontbench for eight years under Tony Blair, serving as secretary of state for education and secretary of state for work and pensions.

Since resigning as an MP, Blunkett has turned his focus to a number of charitable endeavours and has also taken up a post as professor of politics in practice at the University of Sheffield. He is also chair of the board of the University of Law, London.

Last month, Lovell used the Print Futures Awards to launch TPC's alumni programme.

Tickets to the luncheon cost £95 and can be ordered by emailing luncheon2016@theprintingcharity.org.uk.