Flint in fresh attack against PM

Ms Flint says she does not want to be a wrecking ball aimed at Mr Brown

Labour MP Caroline Flint has renewed her attack on Gordon Brown, accusing him in a Sunday newspaper of "using" women for his own political ends.

The Don Valley MP, who quit as Europe minister on Friday, told the Observer that women in the cabinet were just "a smokescreen" without real influence.

Her comments follow Friday's claims she was used by Brown as "window dressing".

But in a Sunday Times article, she says she does not want to be a "wrecking ball" aimed at the government.

Writing in The Sunday Times, Ms Flint appeared stung by being dubbed in the media a "stiletto assassin" and "the woman scorned".

"Let me be clear. I have no interest in being a wrecking ball directed at the prime minister or the government," she wrote.

In my relationship with the prime minister I have felt that I had to repeatedly prove my loyalty Caroline Flint, Don Valley MP

"I want Labour to be re-elected and I still support the government."

But she stood by comments she made in her resignation letter suggesting Mr Brown's government was not "inclusive".

"Maybe it's naive, but I believe if we had a more inclusive style - more ministers working with one another and not in isolation; a government of equals - I believe we would look and feel more purposeful. The prime minister would look more effective.

"In my relationship with the prime minister I have felt that I had to repeatedly prove my loyalty while being pre-judged because of my friends, fed by daft Westminster rumours."

In an interview with the Observer, she said Mr Brown had "used me when it was convenient".

She claimed women in the cabinet were used as "a smokescreen" without any real influence on policy.

'Bit of a strop'

Asked if the prime minister discriminated against women, she replied: "You've only got to look and see at where women are in the cabinet and where they aren't, and they aren't in positions of power, they aren't running spending departments.

"There's only Yvette [Cooper] now who's actually running a spending department."

Some women in the Labour party sprang to Mr Brown's defence on Saturday, saying Ms Flint had reacted angrily because she had been overlooked in Friday's cabinet reshuffle.

Fellow MP Geraldine Smith said: "She's been upset and she has had a bit of a strop."

Deputy Labour leader and minister for women and equality Harriet Harman also rejected Ms Flint's comments, saying it was untrue that Mr Brown "doesn't take women in politics seriously".

Several high-profile female ministers, including Ms Blears, former home secretary Jacqui Smith and housing minister Margaret Beckett, left government in Friday's reshuffle.

But Mr Brown insisted there was still a strong female representation in his cabinet, pointing to the promotion of Yvette Cooper, the MP for Pontefract and Castleford , to work and pensions secretary.

Ms Flint has been replaced by ex-MEP Glenys Kinnock, wife of former Labour leader Neil Kinnock.

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