Skipper

The Coalition government must be bruised by another misfortune: the forced resignation of Energy Secretary Chris Huhne; he is the second Lib Dem to fall by the wayside after David laws departed over an expenses issue back in May 2010. Cameron won’t be altogether dismayed however: Huhne had a record of being aggressive in Cabinet, confronting the PM on issues close to Lib Dem hearts. Clegg too might have not been overwhelmed with despair as the overtly ambitious Huhne-he has twice contested the leadership and lost to Clegg by only a whisker- has long made it clear he is just waiting to take over, should the present party leader falter.

The provenance of the resignation is bizarre. Huhne left his wife in the summer of 2010 after admitting being in a relationship with 45 year old Carina Trimingham, a professional PR expert whom he had met through work. Jacky Pryce, to whom he had been married for 27 years and with whom he has three children, is a high flying economist, who did not kindly to such treatment and in May 2011, in a clear example of 'the woman scorned' she articulated the hell of her fury by accusing him of using her to take the rap for a speeding offence so that he could avoid disqualification.

Nick Cohen comments today:

Trimingham was Huhne's campaign press officer and mistress when his campaign literature presented him as a wholesome family man. After he moved in with her, she touted for work with lobbying firms, telling them that she could get their clients in front of senior members of the coalition.
The Daily Mail loved this story and played it to the limit via Jean Moir in this toe curling piece And in this one too. What surprises me most is that the tabloids did not make so much more of his mistres's alleged bisexuality.

What strikes me though is that when Huhne denies the charge he doesn't seem to believe it himself. I wonder if a jury will feel the same, especiallya fter hearing that damning 11 minute tape recording of a conversation between Huhne and his wife....