European Affairs

My hon. Friend made the case about the way in which the Foreign Office has been isolated in Whitehall. That was an issue of policy and substance. It is very interesting to note that in an interview published on labourlist.org, the former Minister for Europe, the right hon. Member for Don Valley (Caroline Flint), made it clear that, when she was in that position, with the right to attend Cabinet when Europe was discussed, she spent""eight months without being invited to discuss Europe at full cabinet meetings and never being invited at all to political cabinet meetings."" It seems to me that having a Europe Minister who is never invited to discuss Europe at Cabinet does not say much for the seriousness of any Foreign Office influence within this Government.