ktlight
9th May 2011, 21:26
Chris Huhne’s estranged wife last night stood by an extraordinary claim that the Cabinet minister asked an aide to accept penalty points on his behalf for a speeding offence.
Vicky Pryce suggested Mr Huhne was so desperate to avoid losing his driving licence that he wanted the aide to say they were behind the wheel at the time.
The Liberal Democrat Energy Secretary vehemently denies the explosive allegation which, if true, could result in a police investigation.
But respected economist Miss Pryce, whom Mr Huhne infamously dumped for his press officer Carina Trimingham after 26 years of marriage, refused to withdraw her comments.
She said: ‘I stand by everything I have said on the issue.’
Speaking from the £1.5million five-storey townhouse in Clapham, South London, that she used to share with millionaire former City analyst Mr Huhne, she admitted she had ‘probably said enough’ about the controversy.
When asked if she knew the identity of the aide who was allegedly asked to take the speeding points, she said: ‘I really wouldn’t know who did that.’
And with a wry smile, she added: ‘That’s all I can really tell you. I was asked a specific question in an interview and I answered it.’
The row began yesterday after Miss Pryce, who is planning a book about her marriage, commented on long-standing rumours that Mr Huhne once sought to avoid a driving ban.
The alleged speeding incident was said to have taken place in 2003 and was allegedly dealt with in Chelmsford, Essex, when Mr Huhne was an MEP. He became MP for Eastleigh, Hampshire, in 2005.
The highly damaging suggestion is that he dodged a ban by persuading someone else to take the blame.
However, in a separate incident also in 2003, he did lose his licence for three months after being caught driving while using a mobile phone.
Challenged in an interview this weekend as to whether her husband had asked someone else to take the penalty points so he could avoid losing his licence, Miss Pryce said: ‘Yes he did. But look, there is such pressure on politicians to be everywhere at once, especially early in their career, so that they are visible – huge pressure – and he does drive a bit like a maniac.’
source
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1384952/Chris-Huhne-DID-try-dodge-driving-ban-persuading-speeding-points.html
Vicky Pryce suggested Mr Huhne was so desperate to avoid losing his driving licence that he wanted the aide to say they were behind the wheel at the time.
The Liberal Democrat Energy Secretary vehemently denies the explosive allegation which, if true, could result in a police investigation.
But respected economist Miss Pryce, whom Mr Huhne infamously dumped for his press officer Carina Trimingham after 26 years of marriage, refused to withdraw her comments.
She said: ‘I stand by everything I have said on the issue.’
Speaking from the £1.5million five-storey townhouse in Clapham, South London, that she used to share with millionaire former City analyst Mr Huhne, she admitted she had ‘probably said enough’ about the controversy.
When asked if she knew the identity of the aide who was allegedly asked to take the speeding points, she said: ‘I really wouldn’t know who did that.’
And with a wry smile, she added: ‘That’s all I can really tell you. I was asked a specific question in an interview and I answered it.’
The row began yesterday after Miss Pryce, who is planning a book about her marriage, commented on long-standing rumours that Mr Huhne once sought to avoid a driving ban.
The alleged speeding incident was said to have taken place in 2003 and was allegedly dealt with in Chelmsford, Essex, when Mr Huhne was an MEP. He became MP for Eastleigh, Hampshire, in 2005.
The highly damaging suggestion is that he dodged a ban by persuading someone else to take the blame.
However, in a separate incident also in 2003, he did lose his licence for three months after being caught driving while using a mobile phone.
Challenged in an interview this weekend as to whether her husband had asked someone else to take the penalty points so he could avoid losing his licence, Miss Pryce said: ‘Yes he did. But look, there is such pressure on politicians to be everywhere at once, especially early in their career, so that they are visible – huge pressure – and he does drive a bit like a maniac.’
source
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1384952/Chris-Huhne-DID-try-dodge-driving-ban-persuading-speeding-points.html