Chris Huhne changes plea to guilty

[NicholasTeakozy]

BBC link here. I reckon that's the end of his political career then.

A large one, yes!
Things will look different in the morning when sober!

Well claig?
It's morning. You got dressed in your judgy pants yet?

Yes, I think you are right. I can't see how he can return and make pronouncementes about the law etc after this.

There are 60 million odd people in the United Kingdom. We are not short of good people to represent us. Nobody is irreplaceable and it is a great honour and privilege to represent us, and the standard for doing so must remain high, since decisions made affect all our lives.

You reap what you sow. He could have easily sought marriage counselling and then divorced and after that sought a new partner (although idelaly not a lesbian in a civil partnership of he own). The children might well accept that. Instead he sneaked behind the back of his wife to cheat and break his marriage vows because lust took over. There was no need to do it that way but he put his sex life above his relationships with his children - so much for parental love. Nearly 60 and still lust reins over love of family. Silly man.

Every action Huhne has made since that camera flashed in 2003 has been cynically self serving. Persuading his now xw to take the points to avoid a ban was the first. I mean, why not take the ban, likely to be 6 months or so, he was an MP, he could've claimed it back on expenses. Then, when it came out in 2010 he lied, and continued to do so, even last week he tried to get it thrown out, then when he knew he had no chance he changed his plea to get himself a lesser sentence.

My sympathies lie with his family, his children especially.

Although why I'm surprised at a politician lying I don't know.

Well Xenia, that covers the breakdown of the relationship with his son, but glosses over the lies he's spun re: the ticket.
Reading all his public statements since this all hit the press, it was obvious how carefully he was choosing his words - a sign of guilt to me at the time, although dh told me I was being Daily Mail about it. He said things like, "the allegations are incorrect," "have shown to be untrue," "the police will get to the bottom of this" and "I've very clearly denied this and I continue to deny it." None of these statements actually say "I was not driving the car and I did not co-erce my former wife into taking on my speeding points."

And I'd have a smidgeon more respect for him now if his public statement yesterday wasn't the passive "events which happened 10 years ago" but "I committed a crime and lied, and I apologise unreservedly for that."

I am not sure he was an MP at the time. I think they said on the news last night that he was campaigning to become an MP. Not sure though.

'although dh told me I was being Daily Mail about it.'

Nothing wrong with that at all. Ignore DH in future if he comes up with nonsense like that!

He was an MEP in 2003 and MP from 2005 but in either capacity he should not commit a criminal offence.

I did not like his language back to his teenage son either in saying of course he would not let the mother suffer... when of course he has caused the mother and family massive suffering and destroyed his family for the sake of sex.

The coercion thing is peculiar. I'm very interested to see how it plays in front of a jury. When I was in school, "He made me do it" wasn't considered an acceptable defence as far as teachers were concerned.

Huhne has clearly behaved very badly indeed. I wouldn't say I feel sympathy for him exactly, but I also think this is a crime (getting one's partner to accept points) that a lot of people get away with. I wouldn't take someone else's points, and I wouldn't ask someone to take points on my behalf, but I know that people do do it. So clearly from a lot of people's point of view, it's one of those crimes that is considered to be "not that bad", but here he is, probably going to gaol for it, when most people get off scot-free.

I have read some real tragedies where people have tried to conceal what they thought were small offences by covering up and perverting the course of justice and ended up going to jail. It is very sad. I think a lot of people do not understand the full implications and start on a path that they think is not that serious and which then snowballs into a tragedy.

All the more reason then that he is made an example of. To demonstrate to the general public that perverting the course of justice is a serious offence.

Yes, people need to realise what a serious offence it is.

I read a few weeks back that apparently, Huhne had been confident that he would get this case thrown out. I was fuming about it. I am SO GLAD that this judge saw through it and rejected the plea. I'm sure there are others who would have gone along with the idea of dropping it.

hack I think he will go to prison for perjury not getting his wife to take a few penalty points

which is the absolute crux of how stupid and arrogant his behaviour has been

Why should he be made an example of? What's nice about living in Britain is that our justice system is fair and everyone is equal under the law - even if they think they're not.

So he will get jail time, it will be increased because he didn't admit the original defence and continued to deny it until yesterday and he will have costs awarded against him.

Just like everyone else.

Maybe it's possible that sentencing can take into account his position and the ability he had to turn people to his favour - though I never saw much evidence of that amongst ordinary people. If there is that element, I don't doubt it will be applied too.

I don't think anyone needs it pointing out to them that perverting the course of justice is a serious offence. Though this has taught people that lying about an offence, even a common one like taking speeding points, is perverting the course of justice. I don't think it will stop people doing it but that's up to them.

But if we can make examples of people because we don't like them beyond the crime they've committed and the clearly-defined aggravating circumstances then people like Huhne are going to be in a far better position than the rest of us who have no money and no influence.

original offence

Huhne will probably be treated more leniently at some stage, whether it is in sentencing or getting out early for good behaviour or whether it is walking into some sort of nice career because he is not ordinary. He will be able to quietly melt back into society. Ordinary people carry their criminal records with them as stigma for much of their lives. People like Huhne, Archer, etc don't.

Cynical, me? Never.

Yes, I believe that his life after he's served his sentence will be easier than the vast majority of ex-cons because he has money and friends.

But that's not for the judge to decide, luckily. Or do you want people to continue to be punished by the state after they've served their sentence?

Not at all. It would just be nicer if everyone was able to have more equal chances after criminal convictions. I just think it's unfair that people like Huhne will automatically have an easier time of it than your average Joe due to influence/money/friends.

"I just think it's unfair that people like Huhne will automatically have an easier time of it than your average Joe due to influence/money/friends."

But he probably already does have an 'easier time of it' in most aspects of his life due to money/friends/influence. It's just continuing the theme of privilege running through his life - (this 'blip' aside)

Have you noticed, he hasn't actually admitted guilt? His carefully worded statement, disguised to look unscripted, said 'I have pleaded guilty today,' and then he added how he couldn't say any more because of the ongoing trial.

But he did plead guilty in court. Which is where it matters

What amazed me yesterday were reactions of people in the Westminster bubble. The outcome looked obvious, barring some Houdini-like bound to freedom, but Sky's political correspondent Joey Jones said he was surprised and I listened to a clip on the radio from a few weeks ago where Huhne was being discussed as a serious rival to Clegg.

I think whoever put that story about was letting hatred of Clegg blind him to the fact that however unpopular Clegg is, he and Menzies Campbell had both beaten Huhne previously. Oh, and the small matter of the criminal trial.

Absolutely deluded.

Unfortunately this smells like case where some 'understandings' have been arrived between the barristers involved and the judge is taking note of them. i.e plead guilty and the worst outcome for you can be avoided i.e a prison sentence but suspended with a requirement to be electronically-monitored for a period.

or, an immediate custodial for 6 months, but he will be eligible for release on a 'tag' after 3 months in an 'open prison' to where he will be ushered from the court.
Those text messages were so so sad to read. But still not conclusive of guilt after being run through the hands of a really good defense barrister which we can assume he has.

Can we not see a book coming out of this? "Speeding Back To Life - My Lost Years" or some such. He;s arrogant enough to manage that.