{{Short description|British political advisor and peer (born 1966)}} {{Use dmy dates|date=December 2016}} {{Use British English|date=December 2016}} {{Infobox officeholder | honorific_prefix = The Right Honourable | name = The Lord Caine | image = Official portrait of Lord Caine crop 2, 2023.jpg | caption = Official portrait, 2023 | office = Lord-in-waiting<br />Government Whip | term_start = 24 November 2022 | term_end = 5 July 2024 | prime_minister = Rishi Sunak | office1 = Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Northern Ireland | prime_minister1 = Boris Johnson<br>Liz Truss<ref>{{Cite web |title=Ministerial Appointments: September 2022 |url=https://www.gov.uk/government/news/ministerial-appointments-september-2022 |access-date=2022-09-20 |website=GOV.UK |language=en}}</ref><br>Rishi Sunak | term_start1 = 5 November 2021 | term_end1 = 5 July 2024 | predecessor1 = The Lord Duncan of Springbank {{small|''(2020)''}} | successor1 = Fleur Anderson | office2 = Member of the House of Lords | status2 = Lord Temporal | term_label2 = Life peerage | term_start2 = 2 September 2016 | term_end2 = | birth_name = Jonathan Michael Caine | birth_date = {{birth year and age|1966}} | birth_place = Leeds, West Yorkshire, England | party = Conservative | education = Temple Moor High School | alma_mater = University of Leicester (BA) }}

'''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.<ref name=":0">{{Cite news|url=http://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/life/features/profile-jonathan-caine-theresa-villiers-right-hand-man-30654571.html|title=Profile: Jonathan Caine - Theresa Villiers' right hand man|last=Kane|first=Alex|newspaper=Belfasttelegraph|access-date=2016-08-06}}</ref> 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.<ref name=":0" />

He joined the Conservative Research Department (CRD) in 1987, working in the office next to David Cameron's.<ref name=":0" /> 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.<ref name=":0" />

In 2008, Caine stated that he was a Director at Bell Pottinger Public Affairs.<ref name=":1">{{Cite web|url=http://www.conservativehome.com/platform/2008/04/jonathan-caine.html|title=Jonathan Caine: The Price of Peace|last=Caine|first=Jonathan|date=2008-04-29|website=Conservative Home|access-date=2016-08-07}}</ref>

In 2014, Caine worked as special adviser to Theresa Villiers, being described in the press as her "right-hand man".<ref name=":0" /> 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.<ref name=":0" />

{{As of|2016}}, Caine had worked for Tom King, Peter Brooke, Patrick Mayhew, Owen Paterson, Theresa Villiers and James Brokenshire.<ref name=":0" /><ref>{{Cite news|url=http://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/news/northern-ireland/exbbc-cardwell-man-to-advise-secretary-of-state-brokenshire-reports-34918308.html|title=Ex-BBC Cardwell man to advise Secretary of State Brokenshire: reports|last=Black|first=Rebecca|date=2016-07-28|newspaper=Belfasttelegraph|access-date=2016-08-07}}</ref>

Jonathan Caine has been described as "one of the most quietly brilliant Westminster strategists, whose knowledge of Northern Ireland is formidable."<ref>{{cite web|title=This deal with the DUP could seriously hurt the Tory brand|url=https://www.standard.co.uk/comment/comment/matthew-dancona-this-deal-with-the-dup-could-seriously-hurt-the-tory-brand-a3574881.html|publisher=Evening Standard|date=28 June 2017|author=Matthew d'Ancona|access-date=19 August 2019}}</ref> 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."<ref>{{cite web|title=Jonathan Caine: 'Not many people go from Harehills to being a Tory in the Lords'|url=https://www.yorkshirepost.co.uk/news/politics/jonathan-caine-not-many-people-go-from-harehills-to-being-a-tory-in-the-lords-1-10004595|publisher=The Yorkshire Post|date=22 September 2019|author=Geraldine Scott|access-date=23 October 2019}}</ref>

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.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/resignation-honours-2016|title=Resignation Honours 2016 - Publications - GOV.UK|website=www.gov.uk|access-date=2016-08-05}}</ref><ref>{{London Gazette |issue=61699 |date=8 September 2016 |page=19124}}</ref>

On 5 November 2021, Caine was appointed as a Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State at the Northern Ireland Office.<ref>{{cite web |title=Lord Caine |url=https://www.gov.uk/government/people/lord-caine |website=www.gov.uk |publisher=HM Government |access-date=5 November 2021}}</ref> 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.<ref name=":0" /> He was a longstanding friend of David Trimble.<ref name=":1" /> He is unmarried.

== References == {{Reflist}}

{{s-start}} {{s-prec|uk}} {{s-bef|before=The Lord Kirkhope of Harrogate}} {{s-ttl|title=Gentlemen'''<br />''Baron Caine'' '''}} {{s-fol|after=The Lord Macpherson of Earl's Court}} {{s-end}} {{British special advisers}} {{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Caine, Jonathan Caine, Baron}} Category:1966 births Category:Living people Category:British special advisers Category:Alumni of the University of Leicester Category:Conservative Party (UK) life peers Category:Conservative Party (UK) Baronesses- and Lords-in-Waiting Category:Life peers created by Elizabeth II