Chris Huhne faces police investigation over allegations wife Vicky Pryce agreed to take speeding points
Chris Huhne, the Energy Secretary, is to be investigated by police over allegations that he allowed his wife Vicky Pryce to take speeding points on his behalf.
Chris Huhne, who allegedly evaded a driving ban by getting his wife Vicky Price to accept the points Photo: CHRISTOPHER PLEDGER/BEN CAWTHRA
By Mark Hughes, Rosa Prince and Caroline Gammell 10:20PM BST 15 May 2011
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Essex police have assigned an officer to investigate the claims that would almost certainly result in the end of Mr Huhne's ministerial career and a jail sentence if proven.
The suggestion that the former Liberal democrat leadership contender persuaded someone else to accept his speeding points, so he could avoid a driving ban, was first raised publicly by his estranged wife Vicky Pryce last week.
The Daily Telegraph has learnt that the person alleged to have taken the points is Miss Pryce herself.
Last night, Labour MPs urged Mr Huhne to stand down from the Cabinet while the allegations are investigated. His resignation would be a significant political blow to the Coalition, which has already had to cope with the loss of the Lib Dem treasury secretary David Laws over an expenses scandal.
Sources close to Mr Huhne, 56, maintain that the allegations against him are false.
Mr Huhne left Miss Pryce, his wife of 26 years, in June last year after beginning an affair with Carina Trimingham, a bisexual public relations officer.
Essex police began an investigation yesterday as excerpts emerged of a telephone call Mr Huhne, 56, made to Miss Pryce.
The conversation included Mr Huhne telling her: "There is no evidence for this story unless you give it some legs by saying something."
He adds: "The story they are trying to stand up is 'Cabinet Minister persuaded XXX to take points'. The only way they can stand that up is by getting you to talk to them.
"There is simply no other person who could tell them whether it is true or not."
The other person in the conversation refuses to lie for Mr Huhne, saying: "It's one of the things that worried me when you made me take the points."
The Daily Telegraph has established that the other person in the recording is Miss Pryce, 57. A source close to Mr Huhne said: "The person Vicky is talking about when she says someone took points on behalf of Chris is herself.
"There is no one else involved. The phone call was with Vicky. There is no one but Vicky. However, what Vicky does not seem to be prepared to do is come out and say it. She needs to make an allegation."
Yesterday The Daily Telegraph asked Miss Pryce whether she was the person who took Mr Huhne's speeding points and whether she was the other person in the recorded phone call. She refused to comment, saying only: "I am not talking to anyone."
The Energy Secretary is known to have confided in Mr Clegg about his ex-wife's claims, explaining that she was "out for revenge" as a result of the bitter end to their marriage.
Simon Danczuk, the Labour MP for Rochdale, whose written complaint formally triggered the police investigation, said last night: "I thought the allegations were of such a serious nature that they warranted further attention.
"The sooner they clear it up either way the better.
"I think it right that if the police launch an investigation then Chris Huhne stands aside as a minister until that investigation has taken place."
Labour sources pointed out that Peter Hain, the former work and pensions secretary, voluntarily stood down after the last Labour deputy leadership contest, while police investigated claims that he had improperly accepted a donation from a third party. He was later cleared of any criminal wrongdoing.
Until this weekend, police had been unable to act on the claims, which date back to March 12, 2003, because their electronic records do not go further back than 2006.
The alleged speeding offence is reported to have happened in Chelmsford, Essex, when Mr Huhne, then an MEP, was returning from the European Parliament.
It would have attracted a three point penalty and a driving ban for Mr Huhne. It is understood that Miss Pryce, whose divorce from Mr Huhne is to be finalised this week, told a reporter some time ago she agreed to accept the points on behalf of her husband.
When she repeated the claims in two newspapers last weekend, she only said she was “aware that he pressurised people to take his driving licence penalty points”.
To avoid incriminating herself, it is understood the newspapers agreed to imply that the points had been taken by an aide for her husband.
However, the allegations were given fresh impetus yesterday with the emergence of the tape recording and the complaint by Mr Danczuk.
The Daily Telegraph understands that a police officer was assigned to the case yesterday to discover whether any speeding ticket was issued against Mr Huhne’s car on the day of the alleged offence. If it was, a full investigation is likely to be launched into whether Mr Huhne and his wife conspired to pervert the course of justice, an offence which carries a maximum life sentence.
A police source said this would involve interviewing Mr Huhne and Miss Pryce.
A decision will be made on the evidence whether to launch an investigation.
Even if officers establish that Miss Pryce does have points on her licence from that time they will not automatically be able to prove she had taken them for Mr Huhne.
Mr Danczuk said he had not received a formal response to his complaint, but added: “I have been given the impression that they are minded to launch an investigation.”
No 10 sources said Mr Huhne could remain in the Cabinet even if an investigation were launched. The source added: “He is innocent until proven guilty.”
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