Nick Clegg would 'welcome back' Eastleigh MP Chris Huhne into Cabinet

4:34pm Thursday 10th January 2013 in News

Chris Huhne Chris Huhne

Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg has indicated that he would be keen to have Eastleigh MP Chris Huhne back in the Cabinet if he was cleared of perverting the course of justice.

Huhne resigned as a minister after being charged over an allegation that he persuaded his ex-wife Vicky Pryce to take his penalty points for a speeding offence almost a decade ago.

Mr Clegg, who beat Mr Huhne to the Liberal Democrat leadership in 2007, said the former minister was a ''big beast'' who should be in the Cabinet.

''I would like to see Chris return, if he is cleared of everything,'' Mr Clegg told a House of Commons press gallery lunch.

''I think Chris is a formidable, accomplished politician.

''He is one of the big beasts of the Liberal Democrats.

''He's an old colleague and a friend of mine and I want to see him at the top table of British politics.

''I can't predict what is going to happen in court cases nor what might happen afterwards and when, but as a starting point I think Chris is someone who belongs at the top table of British politics.''

Pressed on which Lib Dem minister would have to make way for Huhne, Mr Clegg said he wanted him back ''as a matter of principle'' but did not know ''how, where or when''.

Huhne, 58, from Dutton Lane, Eastleigh, Hampshire, stayed on as the Lib Dem MP for Eastleigh, after standing down from Cabinet to fight the charge.

The events which led to the charges date back to March 2003, when Huhne's car was allegedly caught by a speed camera on the motorway between Stansted Airport in Essex and London.

Accusations of impropriety emerged in 2010, after the father-of-five admitted an affair with PR adviser Carina Trimingham and ended his 26 year marriage.

It is alleged that between March 12 2003 and May 21 2003, Pryce, of Crescent Grove, Clapham, south London, falsely informed police that she was the driver of the car, thereby accepting responsibility for the offence so Huhne could avoid prosecution.

Comments(17)

stuartjebbitt says...
5:03pm Thu 10 Jan 13

Keep your friends close, and your enemies even closer....

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SaintM says...
5:16pm Thu 10 Jan 13

Even if cleared he should not be let back into government and his seat should be up for re election as he lied about is marital status during the run up to the election hiding his mistress whilst promoting family values. Not an honorable gentlemen so go but ten again the Minister of Justive is an expense fraud so no values anywhere

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Lone Ranger. says...
5:22pm Thu 10 Jan 13

Clegg is so desperate that this comes as no surprise.
.
Huhne is so desperate that he would welcome the opportunity ...... so no surprise.
.

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elvisimo says...
5:36pm Thu 10 Jan 13

I could have got more votes than Clegg in the last election. Complete dick

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MGRA says...
5:51pm Thu 10 Jan 13

Whilst Huhne has been swotting up on "how to get out of a sticky situation", his climate-change baby has started to un-ravel big time. Since that was the cornerstone of his crusade for fame, I would say he is political history.

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SotonGreen says...
6:33pm Thu 10 Jan 13

Huhne has a wafer thin majority. Given cleggy is slightly less popular than norovirus on a world cruise. I can't see him holding his seat let alone return to top table politics.

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redsnapper says...
6:36pm Thu 10 Jan 13

The slippery Huhne will escape conviction by using a hugely expensive defensive team.

The taxpayer is lumbered with hugely expensive costs of Huhnes ridiculous wind energy project.

But British society being what is the Oxford clique will rally around and bring the liar back into the fold.

Just another arrogant millionaire politician whose only interest is me,me,me,me,me,me.

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sparkster says...
6:37pm Thu 10 Jan 13

I dont think Huhne should be allowed back how can we trust him now

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Outside of the Box says...
6:55pm Thu 10 Jan 13

stuartjebbitt wrote:
Keep your friends close, and your enemies even closer....
Huhne should have thought of this old saying "Hell have no fury like a woman scorned" He should have kept his ex-Mrs close, she clearly is his enemy now.

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netley020 says...
7:39pm Thu 10 Jan 13

I would not vote for Clegg or Hulne,they both cannot be trusted,Hulne mislead the electorate last time with his phoney family values,he cheated on his wife,if you lie and cheat on your wife you will certainly lie and cheat people who voted for you,hopefully when he is found guilty of perverting the course of justice he will be put away for a long time,

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huckit P says...
7:40pm Thu 10 Jan 13

The man is a proven liar so should fit well into any political framework (unfortunately).
He does not deserve to be elected and it would certainly show an illiterate electorate if he was.

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Huey says...
8:34pm Thu 10 Jan 13

Sack him as an MP, lock him up for the speeding thing, force him to admit he was talking guff about climate change, and tattoo CHEATING LIAR on his forehead in case anyone isn't aware of who he is.

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ballylickybanshee says...
9:43pm Thu 10 Jan 13

Most of the electorate in Eastleigh Borough have had no dealings with the Lib Dem council, and therefore do not realise what power they have. Only YOU can change that when there is a chance to vote. Nothing will ever change in Eastleigh, whether it is in local or general elections, until people get off their backsides and vote for change! Ask yourself, why EBC don't like anyone having a look at their financial records?

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myownopinion says...
10:02am Fri 11 Jan 13

Another reason not to vote for Clegg! The sooner that Eastleigh gets rid of this waste of space the better!

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one in a million says...
2:14pm Fri 11 Jan 13

The story should be "Eastleigh Residents would welcome news that their MP gives a Sh@t about them and not his career"

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stuartjebbitt says...
2:30pm Fri 11 Jan 13

If I were Huhne, I wouldn't rejoin the cabinet, I would get my head down and concentrate on my constituency, distancing myself from the coalition as much as possible. Then if the party isn't wiped out at the next election, I would seek to be the leader of what is left.

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kingnotail says...
2:07am Sun 13 Jan 13

netley020 wrote:
I would not vote for Clegg or Hulne,they both cannot be trusted,Hulne mislead the electorate last time with his phoney family values,he cheated on his wife,if you lie and cheat on your wife you will certainly lie and cheat people who voted for you,hopefully when he is found guilty of perverting the course of justice he will be put away for a long time,
If you're going to slag someone off at least get their name right.

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