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[[Category:Labour Members of Parliament]]
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{{Infobox officeholderMP
|honorific-prefix = [[The Right Honourable]]
|name = Caroline Flint
|image = Official portrait of Caroline Flint crop 2.jpg
|caption = Flint in 2017
|office = [[Shadow Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change]]
|leader = [[EdEdward Miliband]]<br>[[Harriet Harman]] {{small|(Acting)}}
|term_start = 7 October 2011
|term_end = 14 September 2015
|predecessor = [[Meg Hillier]]
|successor = [[Lisa Nandy]]
|office1 = [[Shadow Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government]]
|leader1 = [[EdEdward Miliband]]
|term_start1 = 8 October 2010
|term_end1 = 7 October 2011
|predecessor1 = [[John Denham (politician)|John Denham]]
|successor1 = [[Hilary Benn]]
|office2 = [[Minister of State for Europe]]
|primeminister2 = [[Gordon Brown]]
|term_start2 = 3 October 2008
|term_end2 = 5 June 2009
|predecessor2 = [[Jim Murphy]]
|successor2 = [[Glenys Kinnock, Baroness Kinnock of Holyhead|The Baroness Kinnock of Holyhead]]
|office3 = [[Department for Communities and Local Government|Minister of State for Housing and Planning]]
|primeminister3 = [[Gordon Brown]]
|term_start3 = 24 January 2008
|term_end3 = 3 October 2008
|predecessor3 = [[Yvette Cooper]]
|successor3 = [[Margaret Beckett]]
|office4 = [[Department for Work and Pensions|Minister of State for Employment]]
|primeminister4 = [[Gordon Brown]]
|term_start4 = 28 June 2007
|term_end4 = 24 January 2008
|predecessor4 = [[Jim Murphy]]
|successor4 = [[Stephen Timms]]
|office5 = [[Regional minister|Minister for Yorkshire and the Humber]]
|primeminister5 = [[Gordon Brown]]
|term_start5 = 28 June 2007
|term_end5 = 24 January 2008
|predecessor5 = Position established
|successor5 = [[Rosie Winterton]]
|office6 = [[Department of Health (United Kingdom)|Minister of State for Public Health]]
|primeminister6 = [[Tony Blair]]
|term_start6 = 5 May 2005
|term_end6 = 28 June 2007
|predecessor6 = [[Melanie Johnson]]
|successor6 = [[Dawn Primarolo]]
|office7 = [[Member of Parliament (UK)|Member of Parliament]]<br>for [[Don Valley (UK Parliament constituency)|Don Valley]]
|term_start7 = 1 May 1997
|term_end7 =
|predecessor7 = [[Martin Redmond]]
|successor7 =
|majority7 = 5,169 (11.2%)
|birth_date = {{birth date and age|1961|9|20|df=y}}
|birth_place = [[Twickenham]], [[Middlesex]], England
|death_date =
|death_place =
|party = [[Labour Party (UK)|Labour]]
|spouse = Phil Cole
|alma_mater = [[University of East Anglia]]
|website = [http://www.{{url|carolineflint.org |Official website]<br>[http://www.facebook.com/CarolineFlintMP Official Facebook]}}
}}
'''Caroline Louise Flint''' {{post-nominals|country=GBR|MP}} (born 20 September 1961) is a British [[Labour Party (UK)|Labour Party]] politician who has been the [[Member of Parliament (UK)|Member of Parliament]] (MP) for [[Don Valley (UK Parliament constituency)|Don Valley]] since [[United Kingdom general election, 1997|1997]]. She served in the [[UK Government|Government]] as the [[Department of Health (United Kingdom)|Minister for Public Health]] from 2005 to 2007, the [[Department for Work and Pensions|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 [[Labour Party (UK) Shadow Cabinet election, 2010|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]]. ▼
▲'''Caroline Louise Flint''' {{post-nominals|country=GBR|MP}} (born 20 September 1961) is a British [[Labour Party (UK)|Labour Party]] politician who has been the [[Member of Parliament (UK)|Member of Parliament]] (MP) for [[ Don Valley (UK Parliament constituency)|Don Valley]] since [[United Kingdom general election, 1997 |1997]]. She served in the [[UK Government |Government]] as the [[Department of Health (United Kingdom)|Minister for Public Health ]] from 2005 to 2007, the [[Department for Work and Pensions|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]].
==Early life==
Flint was educated at Twickenham Girls School<ref name="guardianprofile">{{cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/politics/person/1753/caroline-flint|title=Caroline Flint: Electoral history and profile|work=[[The Guardian]]|accessdate=4 January 2011|location=London}}</ref> (the school transferred to [[Waldegrave School for Girls]] in 1977) in Clifden Road, [[Twickenham]], and [[Richmond upon Thames College|Richmond Tertiary College]]<ref name="guardianprofile"/> before earning her [[BA (Hons)]] in American Literature and History combined with Film Studies from the [[University of East Anglia]].<ref name="guardianarticle">{{cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2008/may/16/1|title=Only Tony Blair himself has purer Blairite credentials ... ambition is the word that crops up most about her work|last=Clark|first=Tom|date=16 May 2008|work=[[The Guardian]]|accessdate=4 January 2011|location=London}}</ref> 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.<ref name="dlprofile">{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/democracylive/hi/representatives/profiles/25645.stm|title=Democracy Live – Caroline Flint MP|work=[[BBC News]]|accessdate=4 January 2011}}</ref>
▲In 2010, she was elected to the [[Labour Party (UK) Shadow Cabinet election, 2010|Shadow Cabinet]] and [[EdEdward 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 ]].
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.<ref name="debrett's">{{cite web |url=http://www.debretts.com/people/biographies/browse/f/19479/Caroline%20Louise+FLINT.aspx |title=Debrett's: The Rt Hon Caroline Flint MP |accessdate=4 January 2011 |deadurl=yes |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20130607204413/http://www.debretts.com/people/biographies/browse/f/19479/Caroline%20Louise%2BFLINT.aspx |archivedate=7 June 2013 |df=dmy }}</ref> She was head of the Women's Unit at the [[National Union of Students (United Kingdom)|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.<ref name="debrett's"/> From 1994 to 1997, she was the Senior Researcher and Political Officer for the [[GMB Union]].<ref name="debrett's"/>
==Parliamentary career==
In 1999, Flint became [[Parliamentary Private Secretary ]] (PPS) to [[Peter Hain ]] while he was [[Minister of State ]] at the [[Department of Trade and Industry (United Kingdom)|Department of Trade and Industry]] and the [[Foreign and Commonwealth Office ]] before in 2002 becoming Parliamentary Private Secretary to [[John Reid , Baron Reid of Cardowan|Dr John Reid]], while he was [[Leader of the House of Commons ]] and [[Minister without portfolio ]]. <ref name="dlprofile"/>▼Flint has been a member of parliament since the [[United Kingdom general election, 1997|1997 general election]].<ref name="dlprofile"/> Along with several other Labour women MPs, she is a member of a tap dancing troupe known as the Division Belles.<ref name="times 18 nov">{{cite news|url=http://women.timesonline.co.uk/tol/life_and_style/women/families/article639007.ece|title=The nation's top nanny|last=Crompton|first=Simon|date=18 November 2006|work=[[The Times]]|accessdate=4 January 2011|location=London}}</ref> Flint is a member of the [[Fabian Society]]. Flint is associated with the [[Labour Friends of Israel]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/middle-east/anger-grows-within-labour-over-forced-palestinian-vote-9788395.html|title=Anger grows within Labour over forced Palestinian vote|publisher=Independent|date=10 October 2014}}</ref>
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 (United Kingdom)|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. <ref name="dlprofile"/>▼===In government===
▲In 1999, Flint became [[Parliamentary Private Secretary]] (PPS) to [[Peter Hain]] while he was [[Minister of State]] at the [[Department of Trade and Industry (United Kingdom)|Department of Trade and Industry]] and the [[Foreign and Commonwealth Office]] before in 2002 becoming Parliamentary Private Secretary to [[John Reid, Baron Reid of Cardowan|Dr John Reid]], while he was [[Leader of the House of Commons]] and [[Minister without portfolio]].<ref name="dlprofile"/>
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. <ref name="dlprofile"/> Flint was also appointed to the new position of Minister for Yorkshire and the Humber. <ref name="dlprofile"/>▼Whilst working as Peter Hain's PPS she was criticised by the [[Government of Gibraltar|Government]] of [[Gibraltar]] for allegedly having falsely accused the [[British Overseas Territory]], on [[Sky News]], of being engaged in "smuggling on a massive scale".<ref name="Gibraltar">{{cite web
|url=http://www.gibraltar.gov.gi/latest_news/press_releases/2002/64-2002.htm
|title=Gibraltar Government reacts to remarks made by Mr Peter Hain, Minister for Europe
|date=17 April 2002
|work=Government of Gibraltar Press Office
|deadurl=yes
|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20030319161817/http://www.gibraltar.gov.gi/latest_news/press_releases/2002/64-2002.htm
|archivedate=19 March 2003
|df=dmy
}}</ref>
On 24 January 2008, Flint was promoted to Minister of State for Housing and Planning, and as a result would now attend Cabinet meetings. She was also appointed a member of the Privy Council and she relinquished her role as regional minister.
▲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 (United Kingdom)|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.<ref name="dlprofile"/>
She was moved to the [[Foreign and Commonwealth Office ]] in the October 2008 reshuffle, to become the [[Minister for Europe ]]. <ref name="guardianprofile"/>▼As Public Health minister she was responsible for managing government programmes concerning radiation exposure, the potential [[Avian influenza|bird flu]] epidemic, sex education, and the prevention of communicable diseases such as [[Tuberculosis|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 [[Smoking ban in England|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]].<ref>{{cite news | title=Drugs Bill | url=https://publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm200405/cmbills/017/2005017.pdf | accessdate=12 October 2012}}</ref> Flint pushed through the bill<ref>{{cite news | title=Magic mushrooms ban becomes law | url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/4691899.stm | accessdate=12 October 2012 | publisher=BBC News | date=18 July 2005}}.</ref> despite some challenges and objections from peers and MPs such as Dr [[Brian Iddon]],<ref>{{cite news | title=Peers and MPs join furore over 'rushed' ban on magic mushrooms | url=https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2005/apr/16/drugsandalcohol.immigrationpolicy | accessdate=12 October 2012 | location=London | work=The Guardian | first=Mark | last=Honigsbaum | date=16 April 2005}}</ref><ref>{{cite news | title=Evidence to the Standing Committee on the Drugs Bill 2005 | url=https://publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm200405/cmstand/f/st050203/pm/50203s05.htm | accessdate=12 October 2012}}</ref> plus disputed use of a scientific study by Swiss academic Dr Felix Hasler,<ref>{{cite web|title=Acute psychological and physiological effects of psilocybin in healthy humans |url=http://archive.beckleyfoundation.org/bib/doc/ah/2003/2003_hasler_6232_1.pdf |accessdate=22 November 2016}}</ref><ref>{{cite news | title=The Evidence Base for the Classification of Drugs | url=http://www.rand.org/pubs/technical_reports/2006/RAND_TR362.pdf | accessdate=12 October 2012}}</ref>
In February 2007, it was announced that she would be [[Hazel Blears]]' campaign manager in Blears' campaign for the [[Labour Party (UK) deputy leadership election, 2007|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.<ref name="dlprofile"/> Flint was also appointed to the new position of Minister for Yorkshire and the Humber.<ref name="dlprofile"/>
On 24 January 2008, Flint was promoted to [[Minister of State for Housing and Planning]], and as a result would now attend [[Cabinet meetings]].<ref name="dlprofile"/> She was also appointed a member of the [[Her Majesty's Most Honourable Privy Council|Privy Council]] and she relinquished her role as regional minister.<ref name="dlprofile"/> In February 2008, Flint suggested that unemployed council tenants should "actively seek work", as a condition of their occupancy.<ref>Patrick Wintour [https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2008/feb/05/uk.topstories3 "Labour: if you want a council house, find a job",] ''The Guardian'', 5 February 2009</ref> 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."<ref>.
{{cite news
| url = https://www.theguardian.com/money/2008/may/14/houseprices.property
| title = Minister reveals housing fears in briefing gaffe
| author = Patrick Wintour
| work = The Guardian
| date = 14 May 2008
| location=London
}}
▲She was moved to the [[Foreign and Commonwealth Office]] in the October 2008 reshuffle, to become the [[Minister for Europe]].<ref name="guardianprofile"/>
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.<ref>
{{cite news
| url = https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/newstopics/politics/5084584/Caroline-Flint-Europe-minister-hasnt-read-Lisbon-Treaty.html
| title = Caroline Flint, Europe minister, hasn't read Lisbon Treaty
| author = Rosa Prince
| work = Daily Telegraph
| date = 31 March 2009
| location=London
}}
===Resignation===
Flint resigned after the [[Cabinet of the United Kingdom|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 of the United Kingdom|Prime Minister]].<ref>{{cite news|url=http://news.scotsman.com/politics/39Just-female-window-dressing39-.5340489.jp|title=
'Just female window dressing' – Full text of Caroline Flint's resignation letter|publisher=The Scotsman|accessdate=5 June 2009|date=5 June 2009|location=Edinburgh}}</ref> Flint renewed her attack on Gordon Brown in an ''[[The Observer|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".<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2009/jun/07/caroline-flint-gordon-brown-resignation|title="Angry Flint in fresh attack on Brown" The Observer|publisher=''Guardian''|accessdate=7 June 2009| first=Gaby | last=Hinsliff | date=7 June 2009| location=London}}</ref>
===Expenses===
{{Main|United Kingdom Parliamentary expenses scandal}}
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.<ref>{{cite news |url= https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/newstopics/mps-expenses/5293149/Caroline-Flint-claimed-14000-for-fees-for-new-flat-MPs-expenses.html|title= Caroline Flint claimed £14,000 for fees for new flat: MPs' expenses|publisher= Daily Telegraph|first= Rosa|last= Prince|date= 8 May 2009|accessdate= 6 June 2009|location=London}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/newstopics/mps-expenses/5293213/Caroline-Flints-response-over-MPs-expenses.html|title=Caroline Flint's response over MPs' expenses|publisher=Telegraph|accessdate=1 June 2009| date=8 May 2009|location=London}}</ref>
Flint was one of 98 MPs who voted in favour of legislation which would have kept MPs' expense details secret.<ref>{{cite news| url=http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/politics/article1816072.ece | location=London | work=The Times | title=How your MP voted on the FOI Bill | date=20 May 2007 | first1=Charles | last1=Bremner | first2=David | last2=Robertson}}</ref> In an investigation into MPs claims she was ordered by [[Sir Thomas Legg]] to repay £572 in over-claimed expenses.<ref>{{cite news| url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/8493634.stm | publisher=BBC News | title=Full list of MPs' expenses repayments | date=4 February 2010}}</ref>
===Deputy Leadership candidate===
On 16 May 2015, Caroline Flint announced her intention to seek candidacy for the [[Labour Party (UK) deputy leadership election, 2015|Labour Party deputy leadership election]]. Along with [[Tom Watson (Labour politician)|Tom Watson]], she was seen as being a front runner in the contest.<ref>{{cite news|last=Bush|first=Stephen|url=http://www.newstatesman.com/politics/2015/05/caroline-flint-launches-bid-labours-deputy-leadership|title=Caroline Flint launches bid for Labour's deputy leadership|work=New Statesman|date=16 May 2015|accessdate=30 July 2015}}</ref> 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.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.yorkshirepost.co.uk/news/main-topics/politics/yorkshire-mp-makes-final-five-in-fight-to-be-labour-s-deputy-leader-1-7314172|title=Yorkshire MP makes final five in fight to be Labour’s deputy leader|work=Yorkshire Post|date=17 June 2015|accessdate=30 July 2015}}</ref>
Flint came third.
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