Huhne resigns from Government
By TSF at February 3, 2012 | 12:49 pm | Print
Chris Huhne the Energy and Climate Change Secretary has resigned from the government after it was announced that the Crown Prosecution Service will charge him with perverting the course of justice. Mr Hughes played a key part during the negotiations to form the Coalition Government in May 2010.
In a statement the Director of Public Prosecutions, Keir Starmer QC informed the media that
“A criminal complaint was made to Essex Police in May 2011, alleging that Ms Pryce had accepted responsibility for a speeding offence committed by Mr Huhne in 2003. That complaint was investigated by Essex Police and a file was passed to the CPS in late July 2011.
The CPS advised that further investigations should be made, including obtaining certain material from a national newspaper. Those further investigations were made and, in October 2011, an order was made for the newspaper to produce material to the police. The newspaper appealed that order, as it was entitled to do, but subsequently consented to producing the material in question just before the appeal was due to be heard, on 20 January this year.
All the available evidence, including the new material, has now been carefully considered by the CPS and we have concluded that there is sufficient evidence to bring criminal charges against Mr Huhne and Ms Pryce for perverting the course of justice.
The essence of the charges is that between March and May 2003, Mr Huhne, having allegedly committed a speeding offence, falsely informed the investigating authorities that Ms Pryce had been the driver of the vehicle in question, and she falsely accepted that she was the driver.
Accordingly, summonses against both Mr Huhne and Ms Pryce have been obtained from Westminster Magistrates Court and those summonses will now be served on them. They are due to appear in court on 16 February this year.”
Mr Hughes, who narrowly beat Nick Clegg for the leadership of the Liberal Democrats in 2007 gave a very brief statement in which he said
“The Crown Prosecution Service’s decision today is deeply regrettable. I am innocent of these charges and I intend to fight this in the courts and I am confident that a jury will agree. So as to avoid any distraction to either my official duties or my trial defence, I am standing down and resigning as Energy and Climate Change Secretary. I will of course continue to serve my constituents in Eastleigh.”
The case will go before Magistrates on February 16th and will be referred to the Crown Court.
The Deputy Prime Minister and leader of the Liberal Democrats, Nick Clegg commented on Mr Huhne’s resignation which he said Chris Huhne has been a “pioneer in ground breaking policy”. Mr Clegg went on to say that if Huhne clears his name he would like to see him in government in a key position.
It has been confirmed by Downing Street that the new Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change is Ed Davey whilst Norman Lamb will become under Secretary of State for Business. Many expected David Laws to return to the government but that has turned out not to be the case.
