Caroline Flint - Shameless? Incompetent? Negligent?

The Mail reports on an interview with the Minister for Europe, Caroline Flint. Apparently:

"Reclining on a chaise longue in red satin and skyscraper heels with heaving cleavage and scarlet lips, the Downing Street vamp gives it all she's got.

Now here she is, smouldering at the camera in a blue sleeveless halterneck dress; now with hands on her hips and coquettish in a white shift and 6in black sandals. Next it's a winsome smile on top of a pink summer dress.

What is almost more extraordinary than these photos of the Minister for Europe is the fact that in an interview which accompanied their publication in a magazine last weekend, Caroline Flint talks about the media's tiresome obsession with her appearance.

...

Asked the question in another recent interview, the response was the same. 'Yes,' she replied. 'It is frustrating. If you're walking to Downing Street and not smiling, you're a moany old bag; and if you are smiling, you're playing to the cameras.'

Heaven forbid that Ms Flint would play to the cameras, as these photos illustrate."

Frankly I don't care whether she looks like a model, a vaguely attractive middle-aged woman or Margaret Beckett; the important thing is is she competent. The trouble is it appears that she isn't. I have blogged at least 10 times about Caroline Flint and none have been complimentary pieces. This piece pointed out that "her interest in economic regeneration didn't include an examination of the links between not working and social housing?", this one pointed out her ineptitude at carrying briefing notes open to view and showing that "we know that the government are predicting "sizeable falls in (house) prices later this year - at best down 5-10% year-on year", remember that the next time a Labour minister claims prices are just steadying and bear this in mind when the government try to increase the shared ownership scheme - would you want shared ownership of a depreciating asset?". Then there was this piece about her dire appearance on Newsnight, this one about her comments on repossessions, I wonder if she would like to make similarly optimistic claims today. Then there was this recent piece that pointed out The Telegraph's claim that

"Andy Burnham, the Culture Secretary, Caroline Flint, the Minister for Europe, and Paul Murphy, the Welsh Secretary, also bought flats — or the freehold on a property they already owned — and claimed stamp duty and other moving costs."

Finally and most seriously there was this piece that pointed out that "Caroline Flint the Europe Minister, has admitted not having read the Lisbon Treaty.

"Caroline Flint: I have read some of it but not all of it.

Mr. Francois: What!

Caroline Flint: I have been briefed on some of it."

As I said at the time, "How can the Europe Minister admit to not having read the Lisbon Treaty and remain in her job? Surely it is her job to understand the Treaty and its implications for the UK or does she see her job as telling the UK public whatever line she has been given to promulgate on any particular day."





As an aside, the following exchange from the same debate shows how Caroline Flint didn't even read the Treaty document that her Labour government were trying to foist on the UK:

"Mr. Francois: That is an extraordinary answer. The Minister for Europe has not read all of the Lisbon treaty. That is an absolutely extraordinary revelation. It is a bit like the Irish Prime Minister saying that he had not read it before the referendum. That is an incredible answer. If she is Minister for Europe, why has she not read the treaty?

The Chairman: Order. The Lisbon treaty is not entirely relevant to the documents under debate.

Mr. Francois: With respect, it is mentioned a number of times in the documents.
The Chairman: It is related, but it is not the document under debate this afternoon. I ask the hon. Gentleman to bear that in mind.

Caroline Flint: The Lisbon treaty’s mutual assistance clause, article (1)49, is in accordance with article 51 of the UN charter, which states that countries have
“the inherent right of individual or collective self-defence if an armed attack occurs”, and as such—

Mr. Francois: You are supposed to be Minister for Europe; how can you not have read the treaty?"