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| Chris Huhne's career destroyed by a 10-year lie | |
| (about 14 hours later) | |
| The former energy secretary Chris Huhne is facing a prison sentence and a humiliating end to his political career after he pleaded guilty to perverting the course of justice by dodging a speeding penalty 10 years ago. | The former energy secretary Chris Huhne is facing a prison sentence and a humiliating end to his political career after he pleaded guilty to perverting the course of justice by dodging a speeding penalty 10 years ago. |
| On the first day of what was due to be his trial, the former Liberal Democrat cabinet minister dramatically changed his plea to guilty, admitting after almost two years of repeated denials that his former wife, Vicky Pryce, had taken speeding points for him in 2003. | On the first day of what was due to be his trial, the former Liberal Democrat cabinet minister dramatically changed his plea to guilty, admitting after almost two years of repeated denials that his former wife, Vicky Pryce, had taken speeding points for him in 2003. |
| Shortly afterwards, he announced outside Southwark crown court that he would be resigning from his Eastleigh parliamentary seat, triggering a delicate marginal byelection for his party and signalling the final collapse of a parliamentary career that saw him twice unsuccessfully contest the party leadership. | Shortly afterwards, he announced outside Southwark crown court that he would be resigning from his Eastleigh parliamentary seat, triggering a delicate marginal byelection for his party and signalling the final collapse of a parliamentary career that saw him twice unsuccessfully contest the party leadership. |
| He will be sentenced at a later date, but Mr Justice Sweeney told him to "be under no illusions whatsoever about the sort of sentence that you are likely to receive". The charge of perverting the course of justice carries a theoretical maximum sentence of life imprisonment. | He will be sentenced at a later date, but Mr Justice Sweeney told him to "be under no illusions whatsoever about the sort of sentence that you are likely to receive". The charge of perverting the course of justice carries a theoretical maximum sentence of life imprisonment. |
| Huhne, 58, had repeatedly denied the accusation since it first emerged in May 2011, and pleaded not guilty to the single charge at a hearing last week, changing his plea only with the failure of his attempt to have the case thrown out for abuse of process. | Huhne, 58, had repeatedly denied the accusation since it first emerged in May 2011, and pleaded not guilty to the single charge at a hearing last week, changing his plea only with the failure of his attempt to have the case thrown out for abuse of process. |
| The trial of Pryce, 60, who is facing the same charge but has pleaded not guilty on the grounds of marital coercion, will begin on Tuesday. She sat in the dock with her former husband, but without exchanging a glance, while he pleaded. | The trial of Pryce, 60, who is facing the same charge but has pleaded not guilty on the grounds of marital coercion, will begin on Tuesday. She sat in the dock with her former husband, but without exchanging a glance, while he pleaded. |
| Behind her in the packed public gallery sat Carina Trimingham, the PR adviser for whom Huhne left her in 2010 after 26 years of marriage, who had arrived at the court with the former minister. The politician's father was also in court. | Behind her in the packed public gallery sat Carina Trimingham, the PR adviser for whom Huhne left her in 2010 after 26 years of marriage, who had arrived at the court with the former minister. The politician's father was also in court. |
| The full personal cost of the couple's marriage breakdown has also emerged during the case, demonstrated in a succession of extremely hostile texts to the politician from his son Peter, most of which were introduced by Huhne's legal team in pre-trial hearings. | The full personal cost of the couple's marriage breakdown has also emerged during the case, demonstrated in a succession of extremely hostile texts to the politician from his son Peter, most of which were introduced by Huhne's legal team in pre-trial hearings. |
| In May 2011 the then 18-year-old had texted his father to say: "We all know that you were driving and you put pressure on Mum. Accept it or face the consequences. You've told me that was the case. Or will this be another lie?" | In May 2011 the then 18-year-old had texted his father to say: "We all know that you were driving and you put pressure on Mum. Accept it or face the consequences. You've told me that was the case. Or will this be another lie?" |
| "I have no intention of sending Mum to Holloway Prison for three months, Dad," replied Huhne. An attempt to call his son a month later was met with the response "I don't want to speak to you, you disgust me." | "I have no intention of sending Mum to Holloway Prison for three months, Dad," replied Huhne. An attempt to call his son a month later was met with the response "I don't want to speak to you, you disgust me." |
| Huhne now faces heavy legal fees after engaging a top team of lawyers to fight the charge during months of legal argument. The Crown Prosecution Service said: "We are currently calculating the costs incurred in this case and we are likely to make an application to the court for an amount of costs to be paid by Chris Huhne." | Huhne now faces heavy legal fees after engaging a top team of lawyers to fight the charge during months of legal argument. The Crown Prosecution Service said: "We are currently calculating the costs incurred in this case and we are likely to make an application to the court for an amount of costs to be paid by Chris Huhne." |
| Nick Clegg, the Lib Dem leader, said he was "shocked and saddened" by the guilty plea, but Huhne had taken the "right decision", adding: "This is obviously an extremely serious matter and it's essential that the legal process is now allowed to run its course." | Nick Clegg, the Lib Dem leader, said he was "shocked and saddened" by the guilty plea, but Huhne had taken the "right decision", adding: "This is obviously an extremely serious matter and it's essential that the legal process is now allowed to run its course." |
| Huhne, who is the first cabinet minister ever to be forced from office by a criminal charge, now expects to be expelled from the Lib Dems, and has told friends he does not intend to attempt any return to politics. The party said on Monday night that Huhne would voluntarily remove himself from the privy council. | Huhne, who is the first cabinet minister ever to be forced from office by a criminal charge, now expects to be expelled from the Lib Dems, and has told friends he does not intend to attempt any return to politics. The party said on Monday night that Huhne would voluntarily remove himself from the privy council. |
| The charge related to an incident on the evening of 12 March 2003, when Huhne's BMW, registration number H11HNE, was clocked driving at 69mph in a 50mph zone on the M11 south of Stansted, Essex. Huhne already had nine points on his licence, after getting speeding penalties three times in the previous 13 months, and was facing disqualification. | The charge related to an incident on the evening of 12 March 2003, when Huhne's BMW, registration number H11HNE, was clocked driving at 69mph in a 50mph zone on the M11 south of Stansted, Essex. Huhne already had nine points on his licence, after getting speeding penalties three times in the previous 13 months, and was facing disqualification. |
| Pryce said she had been driving and the penalty points were put on her licence. Pryce's case is that she did so under marital coercion. | Pryce said she had been driving and the penalty points were put on her licence. Pryce's case is that she did so under marital coercion. |
| The incident came to light only in 2011, a year after the end of the couple's marriage, when allegations were published in Sunday newspapers. Following a complaint by a Labour MP, Essex police investigated the incident, and both Huhne and Pryce were charged with perverting the course of justice in February last year. | The incident came to light only in 2011, a year after the end of the couple's marriage, when allegations were published in Sunday newspapers. Following a complaint by a Labour MP, Essex police investigated the incident, and both Huhne and Pryce were charged with perverting the course of justice in February last year. |
| Despite the deception over that offence, Huhne found himself disqualified for six months later in 2003 after being seen by police officers on 28 March that year using his mobile phone while driving along the Old Kent Road in south London. | Despite the deception over that offence, Huhne found himself disqualified for six months later in 2003 after being seen by police officers on 28 March that year using his mobile phone while driving along the Old Kent Road in south London. |
| The case had been delayed for lengthy arguments while the former minister's legal team, led by the eminent QC John Kelsey-Fry, made an attempt to have the case dismissed and another to have the trial stayed because of an abuse of process, it can now be revealed. | The case had been delayed for lengthy arguments while the former minister's legal team, led by the eminent QC John Kelsey-Fry, made an attempt to have the case dismissed and another to have the trial stayed because of an abuse of process, it can now be revealed. |
| The prosecution case was that Huhne had been driving home from Stansted airport after flying from Brussels, where he was an MEP. It was his normal practice to use his free parking space at the airport and drive himself to his home in Clapham on 12 March, prosecutors argued. On the evening in question, Pryce had been at a university function in central London; the Crown held was that it was "implausible" that anyone other than Huhne could have been driving. | The prosecution case was that Huhne had been driving home from Stansted airport after flying from Brussels, where he was an MEP. It was his normal practice to use his free parking space at the airport and drive himself to his home in Clapham on 12 March, prosecutors argued. On the evening in question, Pryce had been at a university function in central London; the Crown held was that it was "implausible" that anyone other than Huhne could have been driving. |
| Huhne's QC had contended in pre-trial argument that there was little evidence of Huhne's guilt and that the motive imputed to him was "less than compelling". Huhne's case was that he had no memory of the incident but that it was perfectly possible Pryce had come to Stansted to pick him up after her evening function, and returned the speeding penalty form without his knowledge. The case, Kelsey-Fry had argued at a pre-trial hearing, was "gossamer thin". | Huhne's QC had contended in pre-trial argument that there was little evidence of Huhne's guilt and that the motive imputed to him was "less than compelling". Huhne's case was that he had no memory of the incident but that it was perfectly possible Pryce had come to Stansted to pick him up after her evening function, and returned the speeding penalty form without his knowledge. The case, Kelsey-Fry had argued at a pre-trial hearing, was "gossamer thin". |
| Last month the judge dismissed the dismissal attempt and a further attempt to have the trial stayed. | Last month the judge dismissed the dismissal attempt and a further attempt to have the trial stayed. |
| Huhne appeared relaxed as he took his seat in the glassed dock, two seats away from his ex-wife. He stood with his hands clasped behind him as the clerk read the charge to him at the request of his lawyers, and answered simply: "Guilty." In his later statement outside the court, he said that "having taken responsibility for something that happened 10 years ago", resigning as an MP was "the only proper course of action". | Huhne appeared relaxed as he took his seat in the glassed dock, two seats away from his ex-wife. He stood with his hands clasped behind him as the clerk read the charge to him at the request of his lawyers, and answered simply: "Guilty." In his later statement outside the court, he said that "having taken responsibility for something that happened 10 years ago", resigning as an MP was "the only proper course of action". |
| The Liberal Democrats will be under pressure to hold Huhne's highly marginal seat in a contest that will also challenge the Tories to show they can pick up seats from their coalition partners. | The Liberal Democrats will be under pressure to hold Huhne's highly marginal seat in a contest that will also challenge the Tories to show they can pick up seats from their coalition partners. |
| The vote will be the first serious head-to-head byelection clash between the two government parties, following a number of byelections in Labour-held seats in the current parliament. | The vote will be the first serious head-to-head byelection clash between the two government parties, following a number of byelections in Labour-held seats in the current parliament. |
| Labour was downplaying its chances on Monday, after securing only 9.6% of the Hampshire constituency vote in 2010, but it needs to show it can make progress in the south, partly by winning over disillusioned Lib Dem voters. | Labour was downplaying its chances on Monday, after securing only 9.6% of the Hampshire constituency vote in 2010, but it needs to show it can make progress in the south, partly by winning over disillusioned Lib Dem voters. |
| Nigel Farage, the leader of Ukip, has said he will decide in the next 48 hours whether to stand. He will want to assess his chances of winning the seat, or whether he should focus instead on the European elections next year. | Nigel Farage, the leader of Ukip, has said he will decide in the next 48 hours whether to stand. He will want to assess his chances of winning the seat, or whether he should focus instead on the European elections next year. |
| Huhne's departure clears the field on the left of the Liberal Democrats if Clegg stands down after the 2015 election. Tim Farron, the party president, will be in pole position from the left, but everything will depend on how the party fares in 2015. Many expect the party to do better than its national poll rating suggests. | Huhne's departure clears the field on the left of the Liberal Democrats if Clegg stands down after the 2015 election. Tim Farron, the party president, will be in pole position from the left, but everything will depend on how the party fares in 2015. Many expect the party to do better than its national poll rating suggests. |
| In the short term Huhne's departure also increases the focus on the business secretary, Vince Cable, to represent the social democratic view inside the party. | In the short term Huhne's departure also increases the focus on the business secretary, Vince Cable, to represent the social democratic view inside the party. |