Isra-Mart srl: Caroline Flint bags shadow energy and climate change post

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Caroline Flint has replaced Meg Hiller as shadow energy and climate secretary in Labour leader Ed Miliband's first major reshuffle of the opposition front bench.

Miliband confirmed the changes today, in a long-awaited move designed to inject some new blood into a shadow cabinet that some critics have accused of failing to land sufficient blows on the coalition government.

He promoted six new members to the front bench, including Chuka Umunna, who will replace John Denham as shadow secretary of state for business, innovation and skills.

Mary Creagh will remain in her role as shadow environment secretary, while Maria Eagle will also continue in her post as shadow transport secretary.

"I am determined that my shadow cabinet not only holds this government to account but speaks to the public and the country," said Miliband, announcing the reshuffle.

"Together we will show how the government is failing to help families who face a cost of living crisis, failing to take action on energy bills and rail fares, and failing to get the economy moving again."

The axing of Hillier had been rumoured for some time, after the shadow energy and climate change team faced particular criticism for failing to make more political capital out of a series of u-turns at DECC, such as the watering down of the Green Investment Bank, delays to the Green Deal legislation, and controversial cuts to solar energy feed-in-tariffs.

There were also complaints that Labour was failing to take full advantage of dissatisfaction over rising energy bills, and a series of negative headlines attacking energy and climate change secretary Chris Huhne.

Caroline Flint has no particular history in the environmental sector. Joining parliament in the 2007 intake, she became a prominent figure among the so-called 'Blair babes'.

Her first ministerial appointment was in 2003, when she became parliamentary undersecretary of state at the Home Office before being moved to the department of health two years later.

Three years later she was appointed housing minister and served a 10-month stint, during which she shortlisted 15 locations for future eco-towns.

In October 2008 she became minister for Europe, but resigned from that post in June the following year after accusing then Prime Minister Gordon Brown of treating the women in his cabinet as "window dressing".

Since October last year, Flint has served as shadow secretary of state for communities and local government.

She will now be expected to orchestrate the opposition position on a raft of upcoming green policies, such as the Green Deal, Green Investment Bank and electricity market reforms.

In particular, she will be expected to flesh out proposals put forward by Ed Miliband last week to break up the dominance of the Big Six energy providers, and re-assert Labour's appeal to green businesses and voters after the Conservatives this week appeared to back away from the government's environmental agenda.