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Brown didn't trust me, says Flint | Brown didn't trust me, says Flint |
(10 minutes later) | |
Caroline Flint says she resigned from the cabinet because Gordon Brown questioned her loyalty. | Caroline Flint says she resigned from the cabinet because Gordon Brown questioned her loyalty. |
She quit last week accusing Mr Brown of treating women as "window dressing" - a day after publicly backing the PM. | She quit last week accusing Mr Brown of treating women as "window dressing" - a day after publicly backing the PM. |
It was thought she quit because she was not offered a cabinet job in Friday's reshuffle which came after resignations and amid reports of an attempted coup. | It was thought she quit because she was not offered a cabinet job in Friday's reshuffle which came after resignations and amid reports of an attempted coup. |
But Ms Flint told GMTV she resigned because "I didn't feel Gordon Brown had full confidence in my loyalty". | But Ms Flint told GMTV she resigned because "I didn't feel Gordon Brown had full confidence in my loyalty". |
She said she had not intended to resign, but felt she was left with little choice after the conversation with Mr Brown. | She said she had not intended to resign, but felt she was left with little choice after the conversation with Mr Brown. |
"I don't want to go into the detail, but what I can say is individuals' names were mentioned to me who seemed to be part of a plot against the prime minister and my loyalty was questioned," she said. | "I don't want to go into the detail, but what I can say is individuals' names were mentioned to me who seemed to be part of a plot against the prime minister and my loyalty was questioned," she said. |
"And I sort of felt at that point that to continue, without confidence, was a difficult thing to do." | "And I sort of felt at that point that to continue, without confidence, was a difficult thing to do." |
'Negative briefings' | |
The conversation came on Friday during the reshuffle as Mr Brown battled to keep his job after a disastrous performance in the English local elections. | The conversation came on Friday during the reshuffle as Mr Brown battled to keep his job after a disastrous performance in the English local elections. |
The week had also seen the resignations of Home Secretary Jacqui Smith, Communities Secretary Hazel Blears and some other ministers before Work and Pensions Secretary James Purnell walked out on Thursday evening with an open call for Mr Brown to quit. | |
This was widely seen as part of coordinated attempt to challenge Mr Brown's position as Labour leader, but Ms Flint said she was not part of any plotting. | This was widely seen as part of coordinated attempt to challenge Mr Brown's position as Labour leader, but Ms Flint said she was not part of any plotting. |
She said "negative briefings" from Downing Street had wrongly attempted to suggest she was part of a group of senior Labour women ministers wanting to unseat Mr Brown. | She said "negative briefings" from Downing Street had wrongly attempted to suggest she was part of a group of senior Labour women ministers wanting to unseat Mr Brown. |
Ms Flint said she welcomed the fact Mr Brown, whose position appears to be secure for now, had told Labour MPs in their mass meeting on Monday that he recognised the need to change the way the government was run to operate as more of a team. | Ms Flint said she welcomed the fact Mr Brown, whose position appears to be secure for now, had told Labour MPs in their mass meeting on Monday that he recognised the need to change the way the government was run to operate as more of a team. |
She also defended attacks on her "window dressing" criticism, given her recent glossy fashion photo-shoot. | |
Ms Flint told GMTV that the piece in question was for a "lifestyle fashion supplement" and "not modelling lingerie" and was designed to showcase affordable fashion in the credit crunch. | Ms Flint told GMTV that the piece in question was for a "lifestyle fashion supplement" and "not modelling lingerie" and was designed to showcase affordable fashion in the credit crunch. |