THE LIBERAL Democrats, junior partners in the British government, have been dealt a serious blow following the resignation from cabinet yesterday of Chris Huhne, who is to be prosecuted for attempting to pervert the course of justice. Mr Huhne’s decision to stand down as secretary of state for energy and climate was made an hour after he was told he would face charges.
Mr Huhne and his former wife, Vicky Pryce, will both be tried for the same offence, following her allegation last year that he got someone close to him to accept penalty points after he was allegedly captured on camera speeding on his way from the airport.
Ms Pryce’s allegation followed the acrimonious break-up of her 26-year marriage to Mr Huhne, who had an affair with an aide, Carina Trimingham.
Police investigated the matter after Labour MP Simon Danczuk made a complaint last May, but a decision to prosecute was not taken until detectives won a court battle against the Sunday Times to view emails written by Ms Pryce to the newspaper.
Initially, Mr Huhne believed he could remain in the cabinet while defending himself against the charges, but that was quickly judged untenable. His replacement, Ed Davey, was appointed within two hours.
Speaking briefly after the director of public prosecution’s decision, Mr Huhne, who has always been regarded as an ambitious, if unlikeable, individual, said: “I am innocent of these charges and I intend to fight them in the courts, and I am confident a jury will agree.”
His departure will affect the dynamic at the cabinet table, since he has been the Lib Dem most likely to challenge the prime minister, David Cameron, and the chancellor of the exchequer, George Osborne.
Lib Dem leader and deputy prime minister Nick Clegg said Mr Huhne’s work on climate change would “stand the test of time”, adding: “If he clears his name as he wishes, I have made it clear to him I would like to see him back in government in a key position.”
Mr Cameron was less effusive: “Like the deputy prime minister, I am sorry to see you leave the government under these circumstances and wish you well for the future.”
Mr Cameron’s spokesman did, however, acknowledge that Liberal Democrats ministerial appointments are Mr Clegg’s to decide.
The party will be under pressure to demonstrate that Mr Huhne’s removal will not impact on the UK’s climate change promises, despite an ever more sceptical attitude from the treasury and the chancellor.
Highlighting the pressures from the grassroots, former Lib Dem MP Evan Harris said, “There’s now an onus, or more of an onus, on Nick Clegg and his colleagues” to demonstrate the party’s separate voice in government.
Mr Huhne’s replacement, a junior minister since May 2010, is regarded as having been unspectacularly successful, although figures within the party are confident Mr Davey will be able to push the Lib Dem’s policies, if less abrasively than Mr Huhne.
Mr Davey was an orphan by the time he was 15 years old, following the loss of his father to Hodgkin’s disease when he was four and then his mother to cancer.
In 1994, he was awarded a police bravery medal for saving a woman who had fallen from a station platform in front of an incoming train.
