Lib Dems on defensive following reports of phone transcript in which energy secretary pressed witness to keep quiet
The Liberal Democrat hierarchy has defended Chris Huhne after a tape recording emerged in which the energy secretary allegedly pressed a witness not to discuss claims he had tried to avoid a driving ban.
Aides to the deputy prime minister, Nick Clegg, said they believed nothing new had surfaced to change the energy secretary's status since Vicky Pryce, from whom Huhne separated last year, made the initial claims 10 days ago. However, the local police force said it was deciding whether or not to investigate.
Pryce claims Huhne "pressurised people" to take on his penalty points for speeding to avoid a driving ban in 2003 when he was an MEP and before he became the Lib Dem MP for Eastleigh. Huhne strenuously denies the claims.
The Sunday Times reported that it had seen a transcript of a phone call in which Huhne urged the person with whom he was in conversation not to speak to reporters and to stay silent about the allegations. The call was said to have taken place before the allegations became public. Huhne was reported as having said: "If I were you … do not talk. I would have thought you would not want to talk."
He is also reported to have given advice on how to avoid journalists: "Just say, 'Terribly bad line, terribly sorry, bad reception, I'll talk to you later,' and hang up."
Labour MP Simon Danczuk lodged a formal complaint with Essex police force.
A spokesman for Essex police said: "We are aware of allegations regarding a speeding offence in 2003. This information will be passed to officers who will decide on whether an investigation will be launched. We take allegations such as this extremely seriously and will take action where necessary."
In recognition of the escalating severity of the claims, Huhne has instructed Charlotte Harris, a partner at London law firm Mishcon de Reya. Huhne and Clegg met last week to discuss the situation and in that meeting Huhne denied all allegations. A Lib Dem source said: "We are in a similar place to where we were last weekend. Has there been produced something devastating? Not really."
The party view is that at no point during the quotes attributed to Huhne did he admit the charge, the source added, pointing to a section where he insisted there was no truth in the allegation. Huhne is alleged by the Mail on Sunday and Sunday Times to have said towards the end of the 13-minute conversation: "There's no question of it coming out, because it's simply not true, that's it." The other person in the phone call then said, "I'm sorry, what? Why are you suddenly saying that?" Huhne is reported to then say it is not "sensible to have these sorts of conversations on the phone".
The coalition is uncertain how it would accommodate the loss of another Lib Dem cabinet minister, with David Laws likely to be out of action for at least a year.
The Commons will vote on Monday to suspend Laws from the house for seven days – one of the most severe penalties an MP can face – after the report last week by the parliamentary commissioner found evidence of "serious" offences. The coalition deal requires five cabinet ministers from the junior partner in the coalition but Huhne and Laws are two of the party's highest flyers and not easily replaced.
Huhne's estranged wife is writing a book variously described as a "tell all" tome about the minister or a guide to surviving a high-profile divorce. As Huhne's profile has increased in the last six weeks, she has increasingly spoken out. Last weekend, asked whether he had asked someone to take his driving points, Pryce said: "Yes, he did. But, look, there is such huge 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."
This weekend the Mail on Sunday and the Sunday Times reported the phone call between Huhne and a witness. This call is supposed to show Huhne dissuading the witness from letting "the genie" out of the bottle. The other person on the line at one point allegedly expresses concerns that they might have to lie to reporters. "It is one of the things that worried me when you made me take the points."
According to reports, Huhne said: "There is no evidence for this story unless you give it some legs by saying something. The last thing you want is a half-baked story saying you've taken points for me."
Huhne is said to have added: "The story they are trying to stand up is that '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 possibly tell them whether it is true or not."
The Sunday Times published the allegation that Huhne allegedly "entered another person's name on the form, without consulting them".
Its report included the suggestion that that person would be able to provide proof that they were elsewhere that day: "The person Huhne allegedly identified as the driver was at work in central London on the day in question and attended a high-profile conference."
--
Source: http://www.guardian.co.uk/politics/2011/may/15/chris-huhne-allegations-driving-ban
~
Manage subscription | Powered by rssforward.com
Tidak ada komentar:
Posting Komentar