Geoff Huhne - not in the public interest?

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M

MrCloser

  • #1
    Chris Huhne's career is in ruins, his license scrap paper and is soon to be looking for a career change in sewing royal mail post bags, 14 stiches an inch...

    My concern is that whilst an MP shouldn't get caught lying and perverting the course of justice, that was history. Isn't this just about his ex-wife twisting the knife and using the law to stitch him up following his affair?

    She was complicit to the offence, just as guilty as him, now they have fallen out she is using the law (that she has flouted) to do her dirty work. If I were the judge I would give her double the penalty, for taking the rap in the first place, and now misusing legal process solely to ruin him.

    Speed cameras are such a blunt instrument, most people know someone who has cheated them in some way, I know several. If this is the worst dirt that can be dug up on him, arguably he was better than a lot of his colleagues still in government.
     
    Spongebob

    Spongebob

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  • #2
    MrCloser said:
    My concern is that whilst an MP shouldn't get caught lying and perverting the course of justice, that was history.
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    The trouble is, it was't history.

    It is now clear that he was lying through his teeth all along - right up until yesterday morning. THAT is what has ended his career, not the original offence.

    If he had held his hands up at the outset no-one would have taken much notice. After all, half the country has had their wife take the rap for the odd speeding ticket! As it is, he has shown himself to deceitful, unbelievably stupid for thinking that he could get away with it given that his co-conspiritor was testifying against him, and even more arrogant.
     
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    M

    MrCloser

  • #3
    Whichever way you cut it, it seems that speed camera penalties are so open to abuse it seems almost unconstitutional to me. It is a sad reflection of the Big Brother age when peoples' livelihoods are decided by machines, but so easily cheated.

    Apparently he spent 500k on his legal defence, seems like he had boxed himself in a corner and put all his chips on win. His ex-wife and co-conspirator should have refused at the time, or forever held her silence. Seems like misusing the law to punish him for their marriage breakdown.

    Personally I'd sack him for his lnept handling of the solar pv renewable energy FIT changes, his driving less than 20 mph over the limit in a big BMW on a motorway at night seems trivial in comparison. I really think she should receive double the penalty he gets; no one likes a grass.
     
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    Nuno

    Nuno

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  • #4
    It wasn't the speed cameras, although he was obviously a serial offender who thought the rules didn't apply to him: he got a total ban six months later for talking on his mobile while driving.

    He was prosecuted and found guilty of perverting the course of justice. This is, and should be, a serious offence. Should we allow someone with power, money and influence lie to escape the penalties the rest of us would face? Should they be allowed to waste police time, the time of the courts and at least £250,000 of public money, (that's our money), telling lies to avoid an inconvenience?

    No. We should be equal in front of the law. I know it doesn't always work like that, but it is what we should aim for, or we will slip into the banana republic way of doing things, and whilst things are bad, they aren't that bad.

    So he deserves to be found guilty, and to be punished. His wife also deserves it, and IMHO her defence of 'he forced me to do it, poor little woman that I am' should count against her.
     
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    123Simples

    123Simples

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  • #5
    This saga again highlights the incredible gall of some of our politicians who not only think they are above the law, but that they have no qualms about lying or trying to cover up their wrong doing. Okay no one is perfect, and I don't expect anyone would ever think that a politician should be perfect...

    But what they should be (for that matter anyone in power of office) is honest, decent and forthright. After all these people get paid a fair whack, and when you consider their "fringe benefits" and "miscellaneous claims" they are entitled to, then they SHOULD be above reproach, otherwise why should they deserve to have a place in Government?

    We are a sad country though when we allow this to happen...
    I'm gonna get off my soap-box now :)
     
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    S

    Steve Sellers

  • #6
    hangemhigh.jpg
     
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  • #9
    Nuno said:
    Should we allow someone with power, money and influence lie to escape the penalties the rest of us would face?

    No. We should be equal in front of the law.
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    Why change a system that has been accepted by the population for thousands of years.

    I suspect untill such time as machines are in charge of our justice system.

    Then Justice will continue to be perverted by all members of a society,in particular the very people we now have in charge of it.:)

    Human nature makes justice a near impossibility.IMHO
     
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    M

    MrCloser

  • #10
    Should we allow someone with power, money and influence lie to escape the penalties the rest of us would face?

    But this isn't a class thing, lots of people from all social classes cheat speed camera fixed penalties.

    Even our local police had about 30 offences recorded against fleet cars on non emergency calls, no-one would take the rap and they all got away with it.

    and IMHO her defence of 'he forced me to do it, poor little woman that I am' should count against her.

    Agreed, I think his ex-wife may have misjudged this, never wise taking advise from newspaper hacks looking for a scoop. Although she got her wish and he is now ruined, courtesy of our Judiciary and at great expense to the taxpayer, it reflects extremely badly on her.
     
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    S

    Steve Sellers

  • #12
    Jeff FV said:
    You mean bury him in a car park? Not a bad idea actually ...
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    After finding out he got stabbed in the arse, that maybe an appropriate punishment for a corrupt mp!

    MP's who are corrupt, are in my mind, traitors. I know that is strong language, but I honestly believe in democracy(or the ideals of democracy), and people like him are just scum who undermine society.
     
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    cjd

    cjd

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  • #14
    Seems to me that we're seeing the law working. There's not many countries that would prosecute a government cabinet minister - it says a lot for our institutions that we can and we do.

    Quite a few people will think twice about taking points others now too.
     
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    MrCloser

  • #16
    sirearl said:
    Er I hardly think a 60 quid parking ticket would have the same impact on a billionaire as it would on someone on NMW.:eek:
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    We all have 12 points to save or spend on our driving licences, again this isn't a class thing. The Royal Family and 16 year old TWOCCERS all get the same 12 points.

    Conversely, if he were a nobody the story wouldn't get more than a couple of column inches on the inside pages of the local rag. Unless he was subject to a CRB check for his job nobody would be any the wiser, and I really doubt if the DPP would have any interest in pursuing a 10 year old offence.

    My point is: she was equally as guilty as him, a criminal conspiracy or joint enterprise is even worse in the eyes of the law I understand.

    If several months and many a sleepless night later she couldn't live with her concience at his driving at 89 mph in the fast lane at night on the motorway, she could have spilt the beans then and there, instead of waiting 10 years
    until they fell out and using the highly unethical/illegal entrapment methods to ruin him in cahoots with the media.

    Looks like her reputation is in tatters too, she has stitched herself up here imo.
     
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    M

    MrCloser

  • #18
    Vicky Pryce was also Chairman of the GoodCorporation, an organisation promoting ethical business practices, she is still working with them according to their website.

    Ethical clients include

    BAE systems,

    http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2010/feb/05/bae-systems-arms-deal-corruption

    Sainsburys

    http://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/...insburys-signs-up-to-code-on-late-payers.html


    and Nestle.

    http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-18644870




    http://www.goodcorporation.com/about-us.php


    I think she has 'nailed' herself, hopefully the judge will not be deceived by her.
     
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    M

    MrCloser

  • #19
    Eight months each, looks like she 'nailed' herself here.

    Maybe a few months 'bird' would be quite an educational experience for them both.

    I still think that given the immense cost of this trial to the taxpayer, plus the bill for ongoing board and lodgings etc it really wasn't worth pursuing mainly for Vicky Pryce's vain attempt to use the courts to settle their marital problems.
     
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    Phild1973

    Phild1973

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  • #21
    I agree that most people's point are valid here, and with the original post that arguably worse crimes have been committed by people still in parliament.

    However that does not excuse Geoff Huhne's persistent lying to protect his back. I would have had a little more respect if he'd held his hands up right away, and I'll bet he wishes he did now as it probably wouldn't have come to this!

    I dont agree with the majority of speed camera's, many are not placed in genuine accident spots to warrant the "safety camera" status, but that's a different argument.

    I wonder if the CPP would have pursued him with the same determination if he was a banker, as it's clear they are allowed to get away with far more than politicians?
     
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  • #22
    Phild1973 said:
    I dont agree with the majority of speed camera's, many are not placed in genuine accident spots to warrant the "safety camera" status, but that's a different argument.
    Click to expand...

    Well as humans don't seem to be capable of driving at the higher speeds modern cars are capable of,I would suggest anything that slows them down is of benefit.

    Last year 250,000 people were injured in road accidents and many more accidents go unreported as damage only event.
     
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