New Climate Change Secretary
Chris Huhne, Britain’s Energy Secretary, has resigned from Cabinet to fight criminal accusations. On Friday morning (February 3) the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) announced that there was sufficient evidence to charge Britain’s Energy Secretary Chris Huhne for conspiracy to pervert the course of justice which forced him to resign.
The alleged offence dates back to March 2003 when apparently Mr Huhne asked his wife at the time Ms Vicky Price to take speeding points on his behalf. The episode was unlikely to have ever come to the attention of the police had Ms Pryce not brought it up during an interview to a Sunday newspaper last year.
Mr Huhne and Ms Pryce have been divorced since 2010 and are now both being charged for the alleged offence.
Less than an hour after the charges were made Mr Huhne resigned and made a public announcement, where he vowed:
“I am innocent of these charges and I intend to fight them in the courts and I am confident a jury will agree. To avoid any distraction to my official duties or my trial defence I am standing down as secretary of state for energy and climate change.
“I will of course continue to serve my constituents in Eastleigh.”
Prime Minister David Cameron and Nick Clegg both agreed that Mr Huhne should leave his post, despite Mr Huhne insisting that he will fight to prove his innocence.
The New Energy & Climate Change Secretary
Chris Huhne has been a vocal advocate for the government’s green agenda and a though fighter in Parliament to improve Britain’s overall energy efficiency and reduce its carbon emissions.
Prime Minister David Cameron was quick to announce Huhne’s successor. Mr. Cameron appointed Liberal Democrat Ed Davey to be Britain’s new Energy and Climate Change Secretary.
Mr Davey vowed to continue his predecessor’s work by increasing the number of green jobs and to carry through Huhne’s vision of a green economy.
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