According to her website: "Caroline Flint, Member of Parliament for Don Valley since 1997, lives near her constituency, in Sprotbrough village, with her husband Phil Cole. They have three children, now adults. In July, their dog, Joey, an RSPCA rescue dog, died. Said Caroline: "Getting Joey was one of the best decisions we ever made." To find out more about adopting a rescue pet, contact the RSPCA. On 7 October 2011, Caroline was promoted to the post of Shadow Secretary of State for Energy & Climate Change, in Ed Miliband's Shadow Cabinet. In October 2010, Caroline was elected to Labour's Shadow Cabinet and was subsequently apppointed as Shadow Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government by Labour Leader Ed Miliband. Having served as the Minister for Europe at the Foreign and Commonwealth Office from October 2008, Caroline left the Government on 5 June 2009."