Lib Dems face meltdown as Huhne helps police inquiry

Published on 18/05/2011 17:44

Cabinet minister Chris Huhne has contacted Essex Police, offering to help them with their inquiry into allegations he tried to evade punishment for speeding, his spokeswoman said.

The Liberal Democrat Energy Secretary faces claims that he asked his then wife Vicky Pryce to accept penalty points on his behalf in 2003.

Mr Huhne's spokeswoman said: "Chris Huhne contacted Essex Police today to offer to help them with their inquiry.

"He will be speaking to them next week."

There have been reports that economist Ms Pryce - whom Mr Huhne left last year for another woman - is prepared to confirm the allegations to detectives.

Essex Police said contacts would be made as part of efforts to establish whether an offence was committed.

Earlier, Downing Street indicated that David Cameron still had confidence in Mr Huhne.

"The position on Chris Huhne has not changed," the Prime Minister's spokesman said.

"He denies all the allegations on the issue."

Meanwhile, a Labour MP yesterday said police are to launch an investigation into the expenses claims of former Cabinet minister David Laws.

Thomas Docherty made a formal complaint to the Metropolitan Police last week over Mr Laws' expenses, and yesterday said the police had informed him they would be carrying out an investigation.

A spokesman for the Met declined to confirm whether an investigation had been opened into the Yeovil Lib Dem MP, who was suspended from the House of Commons for seven days after being found guilty of having breached expenses rules by claiming for rent which he paid to his partner.

Mr Laws resigned as chief secretary to the Treasury after just 17 days last year when it was revealed that he had been claiming second-home allowances for a London property which he shared with his male partner.

Mr Laws was regarded as a key member of the Conservative/Liberal Democrat coalition government, and both Mr Cameron and Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg have made clear they would welcome a swift return to the Cabinet.

However, a spokesman for Mr Laws said neither he nor his lawyers had heard from the Met.

The news came as Mr Clegg himself appeared to be on the verge of a full confrontation with his Tory colleagues after his demands that the government drops plans to introduce a new NHS regulator were dismissed by a junior health minister.

Conservative health minister Simon Burns insisted that no decisions had been made and Mr Clegg's proposals were among a number of ideas for change that were being considered.

Meanwhile, senior peers have warned Mr Clegg that his plans for Lords reform risk overturning conventions which make the House of Commons the most powerful part of parliament.A wholly or partly elected Upper House would no longer be willing to accept that MPs should always have the final say, warned members of the Lords constitution committee.

The Deputy Prime Minister was put on the spot by the committee, which includes some of parliament's most eminent constitutional experts, over proposed changes which he acknowledged had created "angst" in both Westminster chambers.