Caroline Flint
Caroline Flint
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The Right Honourable Caroline Flint MP | |
|---|---|
 Flint in 2017 | |
| Shadow Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change | |
In office 7 October 2011 – 14 September 2015 | |
| Leader | Ed Miliband Harriet Harman (Acting) |
| Preceded by | Meg Hillier |
| Succeeded by | Lisa Nandy |
| Shadow Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government | |
In office 8 October 2010 – 7 October 2011 | |
| Leader | Ed Miliband |
| Preceded by | John Denham |
| Succeeded by | Hilary Benn |
| Minister of State for Europe | |
In office 3 October 2008 – 5 June 2009 | |
| Prime Minister | Gordon Brown |
| Preceded by | Jim Murphy |
| Succeeded by | The Baroness Kinnock of Holyhead |
| Minister of State for Housing and Planning | |
In office 24 January 2008 – 3 October 2008 | |
| Prime Minister | Gordon Brown |
| Preceded by | Yvette Cooper |
| Succeeded by | Margaret Beckett |
| Minister of State for Employment | |
In office 28 June 2007 – 24 January 2008 | |
| Prime Minister | Gordon Brown |
| Preceded by | Jim Murphy |
| Succeeded by | Stephen Timms |
| Minister for Yorkshire and the Humber | |
In office 28 June 2007 – 24 January 2008 | |
| Prime Minister | Gordon Brown |
| Preceded by | Position established |
| Succeeded by | Rosie Winterton |
| Minister of State for Public Health | |
In office 5 May 2005 – 28 June 2007 | |
| Prime Minister | Tony Blair |
| Preceded by | Melanie Johnson |
| Succeeded by | Dawn Primarolo |
Member of Parliament for Don Valley | |
Incumbent | |
Assumed office 1 May 1997 | |
| Preceded by | Martin Redmond |
| Majority | 5,169 (11.2%) |
| Personal details | |
| Born | (1961-09-20) 20 September 1961 Twickenham, Middlesex, England |
| Political party | Labour |
| Spouse(s) | Phil Cole |
| Alma mater | University of East Anglia |
| Website | Official website Official Facebook |
Caroline Louise Flint MP (born 20 September 1961) is a British Labour Party politician who has been the Member of Parliament (MP) for Don Valley since 1997. She served in the Government as the Minister for Public Health from 2005 to 2007, the Minister for Employment from 2007 to 2008, the Minister for Housing and Planning in 2008, and finally as the Minister for Europe from 2008 to 2009, when she resigned citing disagreement with the leadership style of Gordon Brown.
In 2010, she was elected to the Shadow Cabinet and Ed Miliband appointed her Shadow Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government. From 2011 to 2015, she was Shadow Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change.
Contents
1 Early life
2 Parliamentary career
2.1 In government
2.2 Resignation
2.3 Expenses
2.4 Deputy Leadership candidate
3 Personal life
4 References
5 External links
Early life[edit]
Flint was educated at Twickenham Girls School[1] (the school transferred to Waldegrave School for Girls in 1977) in Clifden Road, Twickenham, and Richmond Tertiary College[1] before earning her BA (Hons) in American Literature and History combined with Film Studies from the University of East Anglia.[2] She joined the Labour Party when she was 17. She was the Women's Officer of the National Organisation of Labour Students from 1982 to 1984.[3]
She began her career with the Inner London Education Authority, as a management trainee from 1984 to 1985 and a Policy Officer from 1985 to 1987.[4] She was head of the Women's Unit at the National Union of Students from 1988 to 1989, before joining Lambeth Council as an Equal Opportunities Officer from 1989 to 1991, and then Welfare and Staff Development Officer from 1991 to 1993.[4] From 1994 to 1997, she was the Senior Researcher and Political Officer for the GMB Union.[4]
Parliamentary career[edit]
Flint has been a member of parliament since the 1997 general election.[3] Along with several other Labour women MPs, she is a member of a tap dancing troupe known as the Division Belles.[5] Flint is a member of the Fabian Society. Flint is associated with the Labour Friends of Israel.[6]
In government[edit]
In 1999, Flint became Parliamentary Private Secretary (PPS) to Peter Hain while he was Minister of State at the Department of Trade and Industry and the Foreign and Commonwealth Office before in 2002 becoming Parliamentary Private Secretary to Dr John Reid, while he was Leader of the House of Commons and Minister without portfolio.[3]
Initially joining the government in June 2003 as Parliamentary Under Secretary of State at the Home Office, Flint was moved in May 2005 to the Department of Health, with responsibility for Public Health first as Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State and from May 2006 as Minister of State in the same role.[3]
As Public Health minister she was responsible for managing government programmes concerning radiation exposure, the potential bird flu epidemic, sex education, and the prevention of communicable diseases such as TB and HIV, and oversaw campaigns to tackle obesity, type 2 diabetes, heart disease, and cancer. She was also due to take ministerial responsibility for implementing the smoke-free workplace regulations in all public places resulting from the Health Act 2006, but was moved just a couple of days before it came into force (on 1 July 2007).
During her tenure at the Home Office, Flint reclassified magic mushrooms as a Class A drug.[7] Flint pushed through the bill[8] despite some challenges and objections from peers and MPs such as Dr Brian Iddon,[9][10] plus disputed use of a scientific study by Swiss academic Dr Felix Hasler,[11][12]
In February 2007, it was announced that she would be Hazel Blears' campaign manager in Blears' campaign for the Deputy Leadership election of the Labour Party following John Prescott's resignation. Blears did not win, coming sixth in the election.
In the Cabinet reshuffle of 29 June 2007 Caroline Flint moved to the Department for Work and Pensions where she served as the Minister for Employment and Welfare Reform.[3] Flint was also appointed to the new position of Minister for Yorkshire and the Humber.[3]
On 24 January 2008, Flint was promoted to Minister of State for Housing and Planning, and as a result would now attend Cabinet meetings.[3] She was also appointed a member of the Privy Council and she relinquished her role as regional minister.[3] In February 2008, Flint suggested that unemployed council tenants should "actively seek work", as a condition of their occupancy.[13] In May that year, she inadvertently revealed grim forecasts for the future of house prices when she was photographed walking into Downing Street with her briefing papers visible. Close inspection revealed that her document read: "We can't tell how bad it will get."[14]
She was moved to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office in the October 2008 reshuffle, to become the Minister for Europe.[1]
On 31 March 2009 she admitted that she had not read the Lisbon Treaty, the document which codifies the rules of the European Union. Critics described her admission as "extraordinary" and "unbelievable," particularly given that the minister's responsibilities include overseeing the introduction of the Treaty.[15]
Resignation[edit]
Flint resigned after the Cabinet reshuffle of 5 June 2009 asserting that Gordon Brown was running a "two-tier government", and believed that she had been treated as "female window dressing" though she had earlier professed her loyalty to the Prime Minister.[16] Flint renewed her attack on Gordon Brown in an Observer newspaper article on 7 June 2009, saying that she was not ashamed of a glamorous photoshoot which had upset Downing Street. She launched a broadside against the Prime Minister, complaining of "this constant pressure, this negative bullying".[17]
Expenses[edit]
In 2005, Flint claimed her constituency home in Sprotbrough as her second home, and a house in outer London as her main home. She sold her outer London home to buy a flat in Victoria, London in 2006. To buy the flat, Flint claimed £1,000 solicitors fees and £12,750 in stamp duty on allowances; the Fees Office paid £7,700 of the claim. The Victoria flat became her second home and her constituency property her main residence.[18][19]
Flint was one of 98 MPs who voted in favour of legislation which would have kept MPs' expense details secret.[20] In an investigation into MPs claims she was ordered by Sir Thomas Legg to repay £572 in over-claimed expenses.[21]
Deputy Leadership candidate[edit]
On 16 May 2015, Caroline Flint announced her intention to seek candidacy for the Labour Party deputy leadership election. Along with Tom Watson, she was seen as being a front runner in the contest.[22] By the time nominations closed on 17 June, Flint had gained 43 MP nominees, second only to Tom Watson, and more than enough to confirm her place in the ballot.[23]
Flint came third.
Personal life[edit]
Flint's first marriage was to Saief Zammel, a Tunisian stockbroker.[24][25] They had a son, Karim, and a daughter, Hanna. Flint obtained a divorce in 1990 after Zammel was arrested on charges of violent disorder and was subsequently deported.[25][26]
In July 2001 she married her longtime boyfriend, Phil Cole, a former Labour Party regional officer and public relations professional who has been a councillor for the Edlington and Warmsworth ward of Doncaster Council since May 2012. They live in Flint's Don Valley constituency, in Sprotborough with three adult children from their former relationships.[27][28]
References[edit]
^ abc "Caroline Flint: Electoral history and profile". The Guardian. London. Retrieved 4 January 2011.
^ Clark, Tom (16 May 2008). "Only Tony Blair himself has purer Blairite credentials ... ambition is the word that crops up most about her work". The Guardian. London. Retrieved 4 January 2011.
^ abcdefgh "Democracy Live – Caroline Flint MP". BBC News. Retrieved 4 January 2011.
^ abc "Debrett's: The Rt Hon Caroline Flint MP". Archived from the original on 7 June 2013. Retrieved 4 January 2011.
^ Crompton, Simon (18 November 2006). "The nation's top nanny". The Times. London. Retrieved 4 January 2011.
^ "Anger grows within Labour over forced Palestinian vote". Independent. 10 October 2014.
^ "Drugs Bill" (PDF). Retrieved 12 October 2012.
^ "Magic mushrooms ban becomes law". BBC News. 18 July 2005. Retrieved 12 October 2012. .
^ Honigsbaum, Mark (16 April 2005). "Peers and MPs join furore over 'rushed' ban on magic mushrooms". The Guardian. London. Retrieved 12 October 2012.
^ "Evidence to the Standing Committee on the Drugs Bill 2005". Retrieved 12 October 2012.
^ "Acute psychological and physiological effects of psilocybin in healthy humans" (PDF). Retrieved 22 November 2016.
^ "The Evidence Base for the Classification of Drugs" (PDF). Retrieved 12 October 2012.
^ Patrick Wintour "Labour: if you want a council house, find a job", The Guardian, 5 February 2009
^ .
Patrick Wintour (14 May 2008). "Minister reveals housing fears in briefing gaffe". The Guardian. London.
^
Rosa Prince (31 March 2009). "Caroline Flint, Europe minister, hasn't read Lisbon Treaty". Daily Telegraph. London.
^ "'Just female window dressing' – Full text of Caroline Flint's resignation letter". Edinburgh: The Scotsman. 5 June 2009. Retrieved 5 June 2009.
^ Hinsliff, Gaby (7 June 2009). ""Angry Flint in fresh attack on Brown" The Observer". London: Guardian. Retrieved 7 June 2009.
^ Prince, Rosa (8 May 2009). "Caroline Flint claimed £14,000 for fees for new flat: MPs' expenses". London: Daily Telegraph. Retrieved 6 June 2009.
^ "Caroline Flint's response over MPs' expenses". London: Telegraph. 8 May 2009. Retrieved 1 June 2009.
^ Bremner, Charles; Robertson, David (20 May 2007). "How your MP voted on the FOI Bill". The Times. London.
^ "Full list of MPs' expenses repayments". BBC News. 4 February 2010.
^ Bush, Stephen (16 May 2015). "Caroline Flint launches bid for Labour's deputy leadership". New Statesman. Retrieved 30 July 2015.
^ "Yorkshire MP makes final five in fight to be Labour's deputy leader". Yorkshire Post. 17 June 2015. Retrieved 30 July 2015.
^ Langley, William (18 May 2008). "An all-too-revealing peek at the briefs of Caroline Flint". The Daily Telegraph. Retrieved 5 February 2017.
^ ab Fairford, Lucy (10 May 2009). "Sexism, motherhood, ambition – and looking good". The Observer. Retrieved 5 February 2017.
^ Leach, Ben; Lefort, Rebecca (10 July 2010). "MP's scandals covered up on Wikipedia". The Daily Telegraph. Retrieved 5 February 2017. CS1 maint: Uses authors parameter (link)
^ Sprotborough
^ "About Caroline". Retrieved 30 March 2012.
External links[edit]
Caroline Flint and Labour in Don Valley Official constituency website
Profile at Parliament of the United Kingdom
Contributions in Parliament at Hansard 2010–present- Contributions in Parliament during 2006–07 2007–08 2008–09 2009–10 at Hansard Archives
Contributions in Parliament at Hansard 1803–2005
Voting record at Public Whip
Record in Parliament at TheyWorkForYou
Profile at Westminster Parliamentary Record
Articles authored at Journalisted
Caroline Flint on Twitter
Parliament of the United Kingdom | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by Martin Redmond | Member of Parliament for Don Valley 1997–present | Incumbent |
| Political offices | ||
| Preceded by Melanie Johnson | Minister of State for Public Health 2005–2007 | Succeeded by Dawn Primarolo |
| Preceded by Jim Murphy | Minister of State for Employment 2007–2008 | Succeeded by Stephen Timms |
New office | Minister for Yorkshire and the Humber 2007–2008 | Succeeded by Rosie Winterton |
| Preceded by Yvette Cooper | Minister of State for Housing and Planning 2008 | Succeeded by Margaret Beckett |
| Preceded by Jim Murphy | Minister of State for Europe 2008–2009 | Succeeded by The Baroness Kinnock of Holyhead |
| Preceded by John Denham | Shadow Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government 2010–2011 | Succeeded by Hilary Benn |
| Preceded by Meg Hillier | Shadow Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change 2011–2015 | Succeeded by Lisa Nandy |
Ministers of State for Europe | ||
|---|---|---|
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Brown Cabinet | ||
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| Cabinet members |
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| Also attended meetings |
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| Attended while on agenda |
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Authority control  |
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Categories:
- 1961 births
- Living people
- Alumni of the University of East Anglia
- British feminists
- Female members of the Parliament of the United Kingdom for English constituencies
- Labour Party (UK) MPs for English constituencies
- Labour Friends of Israel
- Members of the Privy Council of the United Kingdom
- People from Twickenham
- Politics of Doncaster
- UK MPs 1997–2001
- UK MPs 2001–05
- UK MPs 2005–10
- UK MPs 2010–15
- UK MPs 2015–17
- UK MPs 2017–
- 20th-century women politicians
- 21st-century women politicians
- Richmond upon Thames College alumni
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