43 Facts About Caroline Flint

Caroline Louise Flint was born on 20 September 1961 and is a British politician who served as Member of Parliament for Don Valley from 1997 to 2019.

One of 101 female Labour MPs elected at the 1997 general election, Flint served in the government of Tony Blair as a junior Home Office Minister from 2003 to 2005 and Public Health Minister from 2005 to 2007.

Caroline Flint remained in government under Gordon Brown as both Employment Minister and a Regional Minister from 2007 until 2008, when she was promoted to the Cabinet.

Caroline Flint resigned in 2009, citing disagreement with the leadership of the Prime Minister.

Caroline Flint was elected to the shadow cabinet following Labour's 2010 election defeat, and appointed Shadow Communities and Local Government Secretary by opposition leader Ed Miliband.

Caroline Flint was Shadow Energy and Climate Change Secretary from 2011 to 2015, and finished third-place in the 2015 deputy Labour leadership contest.

Caroline Flint returned to the backbenches in 2015 and was defeated in her seat at the 2019 general election.

Caroline Flint was born on 20 September 1961 at a home for unmarried mothers in Twickenham, Middlesex.

Caroline Flint's mother, Wendy Beasley, was a typist who gave birth to her at 17-years old.

Caroline Flint was educated at Twickenham Girls' School and Richmond Tertiary College.

Caroline Flint joined the Labour Party in 1979 and served as women's officer for the National Organisation of Labour Students from 1982 to 1984.

Caroline Flint began her career at the Inner London Education Authority, where she was management trainee from 1984 to 1985 and policy officer from 1985 to 1987.

Caroline Flint was head of the women's unit at the National Union of Students from 1988 to 1989.

Caroline Flint worked at Lambeth Council as an equal opportunities Officer from 1989 to 1991, and a welfare and staff development officer from 1991 to 1993.

Caroline Flint was a senior researcher and political officer for the trade union GMB from 1994 to 1997.

Caroline Flint was elected as Member of Parliament for Don Valley at the 1997 general election.

Caroline Flint was re-elected at the 2001,2005,2010,2015 and 2017 general elections.

Caroline Flint is a member of the Fabian Society and of Labour Friends of Israel.

Caroline Flint became Parliamentary Private Secretary to Peter Hain in 1999, while he was a Minister of State at the Department of Trade and Industry and Foreign Office.

Caroline Flint entered government as a junior minister in June 2003, as a Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Home Affairs.

Caroline Flint pushed through the bill despite some concerns from Parliamentary colleagues.

Caroline Flint was moved to the Public health portfolio at the Department of Health in May 2005, initially as a Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State and as a Minister of State from May 2006.

Caroline Flint oversaw campaigns to tackle issues such as obesity, diabetes, heart disease and cancer.

Caroline Flint's bid was unsuccessful, and she finished sixth-place in the election.

Caroline Flint was appointed to one of the new regional ministerial roles, as Minister for Yorkshire and the Humber.

In January 2008, Caroline Flint was promoted to attend the Cabinet of the United Kingdom as Minister of State for Housing and Planning.

Caroline Flint moved roles to become Minister of State for Europe in the October 2008 government reshuffle.

Caroline Flint notably oversaw the implementation of the Lisbon Treaty into UK law in her role, and was criticised for admitting to not fully reading the document.

Caroline Flint resigned from government after the June 2009 reshuffle, asserting that Brown ran a "two-tier government" and treated her as "female window dressing".

Caroline Flint renewed her attack on Brown in a subsequent Observer article, complaining of "constant pressure" and "negative bullying".

Caroline Flint voted in-favour of legislation which would have kept MPs' expense details secret.

Caroline Flint was appointed Shadow Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government by party leader Ed Miliband, and reshuffled to Shadow Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change in October 2011.

Caroline Flint abstained on the 2011 Commons vote on military intervention in Libya.

Caroline Flint campaigned for Remain during the 2016 EU referendum, in opposition to her leave-voting constituency.

Caroline Flint supported Owen Smith in the failed attempt to replace Jeremy Corbyn in the subsequent Labour leadership election.

Caroline Flint was a frequent rebel against the Labour leadership's Brexit position, defying the party whip on several votes to support the government and oppose pro-EU bills and amendments.

Caroline Flint was one of six Labour MPs to vote in favour of Prime Minister Boris Johnson's Brexit withdrawal agreement.

Caroline Flint lost her seat at the 2019 general election to Conservative candidate Nick Fletcher.

Caroline Flint attributed the defeat to Corbyn's leadership, criticising the party for losing public trust and being too city-centric and anti-Brexit.

Caroline Flint was appointed to chair the Humber Teaching NHS Foundation Trust in May 2021 and Committee on Fuel Poverty in January 2022.

Caroline Flint made several appearances on GB News from August 2021, but ceased to appear several months later.

Caroline Flint remarried to Phil Cole, a PR professional and former Labour Party officer, in July 2001.

Caroline Flint later employed him as her constituency office manager, and he has been a Member of Doncaster Council since 2012.