Chris Huhne

The document alleged that Huhne had invested in companies that the document described as "unethical". The document stated "Chris Huhne is campaigning for the Lib Dem leadership on a green, carbon-neutral platform, and further advocates increasing tax for the wealthy, which would include himself. However, his shareholdings include, or have included, mining companies, oil companies and tax shelters."

Huhne has spoken of the need to "roll back Labour's security-obsessed surveillance state". However, he holds shares – listed on the Register of Members' Interests – in UK company IRISYS, which specialises in producing thermal imagers "for process, people and queue monitoring" and "which sells cameras to let shops count their customers." Read Less

Huhne has continued developing his party's thoughts on climate change and the environment, including a consideration of the challenges and opportunities they create for British businesses. He has also been prominent in critiquing the divergence between the Conservative Party's recent environmental rhetoric and its policies.

Huhne was one of fourteen MPs forming an all-party parliamentary inquiry into antisemitism in the UK. Their report criticised boycotts of Israeli academics as "an assault on academic freedom and intellectual exchange" and accused "some left-wing activists and Muslim extremists of using criticism of Israel as 'a pretext' for spreading hatred against British Jews". Huhne is, however, a critic of Israeli government policy in the Middle East, and strongly supports the creation of a separate Palestinian state. He described the Israeli response in Lebanon to Hezbollah's rocket attacks as disproportionate and counter-productive, arguing that a strong Lebanese state is in Israel's long-term interest. Read Less

He was criticised by Labour Shadow energy secretary Ed Miliband who said that the money for the loan had been set aside and would have resulted in at least £110 million returning to the Exchequer. Read Less

If it was a commercial loan it would have been arranged through the banks and not by the government. It was precisely because of the public subsidy element, and the fact that the public subsidy element was not affordable, that the government decided not to proceed with it." The cancellation of the loan was one of a number of projects agreed by the previous Labour government cancelled in an announcement to the House of Commons on 17 June 2010. Read Less

The gathering, at which over 190 countries were represented, announced a deal to curb climate change which Prime Minister David Cameron described as a "very significant step forward." The agreement struck in Mexico included a recognition that deeper cuts in carbon emissions were needed and that a fund should be set up in order to help developing countries reduce their carbon emissions. Huhne described the deal as a "serious package" of measures but acknowledged that there was still more work to do prior to the next climate change meeting in Durban, South Africa, the following year. Following the conference David Cameron said that his government would be the "greenest ever" and said that Britain would meet its international obligations regarding climate change. Due to his attending the conference, Huhne was one of 8 Liberal Democrat MPs to abstain from the vote on Government proposals to increase university tuition fees. The vote had been particularly controversial for Liberal Democrats as many of the parties MPs had, prior to the election, signed an NUS pledge promising to vote against tuition fee increases. For the government, the controversial nature of the vote meant that, at one stage, it was considered that Huhne would have to return home from the conference in order to vote with the Government. Speaking about the possibility of the UK's minister potentially leaving the conference to attend a domestic vote Greenpeace Uk director John Sauven said to the BBC that Huhnes presence was vital adding "with the outcome of the Cancun summit now hanging in the balance, attention must now focus on whether he can help to broker a climate deal". Read Less

Huhne thereupon resigned from the Cabinet. As a result of his resignation, and in accordance with the rules governing severance payments to resigning ministers, Huhne received a tax-free payment of £17,000. Read Less

A trial was timetabled for early October 2012, with the possibility that the case might start earlier. Neither defendant entered a plea and both were granted unconditional bail. Read Less

Pryce entered a plea of not guilty, and will advance a defence at trial that Huhne coerced her into taking his penalty points.. On 5 October 2012, the trial was adjourned until 14 January 2013 for "legal reasons" which were not disclosed. Read Less