Chris Huhne admits perverting the course of justice

Huhne: "The only proper course of action for me is now to resign my Eastleigh seat"

Former cabinet minister Chris Huhne has admitted perverting the course of justice over claims his ex-wife took speeding points for him a decade ago.

The Liberal Democrat MP, 58, changed his plea on the first day of his trial at Southwark Crown Court. He could face a prison sentence for the offence.
Huhne said outside court he would stand down as MP for Eastleigh, Hampshire.
His former wife, Vicky Pryce, has pleaded not guilty to the same offence on the grounds of marital coercion.
They were charged last year in relation to the alleged offence in 2003.
Huhne, from Eastleigh, resigned as energy and climate change secretary after he was charged and has now forced a by-election in his constituency.
Speaking outside court he said: "Having taken responsibility for something that happened 10 years ago, the only proper course of action for me is to resign my Eastleigh seat in Parliament, which I will do shortly.

Prison sentence
 
BBC chief political correspondent Norman Smith said that by standing down, Huhne - a Lib Dem "big hitter" - was accepting that his career was over.

Lib Dem leader Nick Clegg said he was "shocked and saddened" by Huhne's admission but said he had "taken the right decision in resigning as an MP".

The charge relates to an incident in March 2003 when Huhne's car was allegedly caught by a speed camera on the motorway between Stansted Airport in Essex and London.
It is alleged that between 12 March and 21 May 2003, Ms Pryce, 60, from Clapham in south London, falsely informed police that she was the driver of the car so Huhne could avoid prosecution.
BBC legal affairs correspondent Clive Coleman said it was a serious offence which was invariably punished by a prison sentence - usually about six months to a year in this kind of case.
Huhne had vowed to fight the charges and last week pleaded not guilty.
But on Monday, his barrister John Kelsey-Fry QC invited the court to read the indictment to Huhne once more, even though he had already pleaded not guilty at last week's hearing.
When the allegation of perverting the course of justice was read he quietly declared that he was guilty.
Ms Pryce was also sitting in the dock and neither showed any emotion as he entered his plea.
Granting Huhne unconditional bail until a sentence date to be fixed, Mr Justice Sweeney said: "As Mr Kelsey-Fry has foreshadowed, you should have no illusions whatsoever as to the sort of sentence that you are likely to receive."
Carina Trimingham, whom Huhne admitted having an affair with in 2010, ending his 26-year marriage to Ms Pryce, was in the public gallery as he appeared in court.
Ms Pryce's case was adjourned until 10:00 GMT on Tuesday, when a trial is expected to start.
Lib Dem leader of Eastleigh Borough Council Keith House said Huhne's resignation was "very, very sad," and described him as a hardworking MP

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