Jonathan Caine, Baron Caine

The Right Honourable The Lord Caine
Official portrait, 2023
Lord-in-waiting Government Whip
Incumbent
Assumed office 24 November 2022
Prime Minister	Rishi Sunak
Preceded by	TBC
Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Northern Ireland
Incumbent
Assumed office 5 November 2021
Prime Minister	Boris Johnson Liz Truss[1] Rishi Sunak
Preceded by	The Lord Duncan of Springbank (2020)
Member of the House of Lords Lord Temporal
Incumbent
Assumed office 20 October 2016 Life Peerage
Personal details
Born	1966 (age 57–58) Leeds, West Riding of Yorkshire, England
Political party	Conservative

Jonathan Michael Caine, Baron Caine (born 1966) is a British Member of the House of Lords and a former political aide (or "SPAD") who served six Secretaries of State.

Education and career

Caine grew up in Leeds in the 1970s, and was educated at Templenewsam Halton Primary and Halton Middle School, then Temple Moor High School.^[2] He studied history at the University of Leicester, where his specialism was the Conservative Party 1902-1940 which included the Home Rule Crisis 1912-14 and the Anglo-Irish Treaty 1921.^[2]

He joined the Conservative Research Department (CRD) in 1987, working in the office next to David Cameron's.^[2] He joined the party's Northern Ireland desk in 1988, and by 1991 was a special adviser at the Northern Ireland Office until 1995 – rejoining it in 2010.^[2]

In 2008, Caine stated that he was a Director at Bell Pottinger Public Affairs.^[3]

In 2014, Caine worked as special adviser to Theresa Villiers, being described in the press as her "right-hand man".^[2] Caine had also worked for Owen Paterson, and was described by him as "one of the foremost experts on Northern Ireland". However, a senior member of the SDLP noted that, although he understood Unionism in Ireland, he had no real understanding of Irish republicanism, and no sympathy for it.^[2]

As of 2016^[update], Caine had worked for Tom King, Peter Brooke, Patrick Mayhew, Owen Paterson, Theresa Villiers and James Brokenshire.^[2][4]

Jonathan Caine has been described as "one of the most quietly brilliant Westminster strategists, whose knowledge of Northern Ireland is formidable."^[5] In his memoir, For The Record, former Prime Minister David Cameron is quoted in The Yorkshire Post as crediting Caine with being "an authority in his field and a tireless behind-the-scenes presence. He was – and remains – passionate about securing peace... in Northern Ireland, and maintaining our United Kingdom."^[6]

He was nominated for a life peerage as part of David Cameron's Resignation Honours list and was created Baron Caine, of Temple Newsam in the City of Leeds, on 2 September 2016.^[7][8]

On 5 November 2021, Caine was appointed as a Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State at the Northern Ireland Office.^[9] On 24 November 2022, he was appointed as a whip (Lord-in-waiting) in addition to his role the NIO.

Personal life

Caine supports Yorkshire County Cricket Club and Leeds Rhinos, and enjoys listening to Led Zeppelin.^[2] He was a longstanding friend of David Trimble.^[3]

References