Chris Huhne pockets £17,000 payoff: Millionaire minister facing trial for 'swapping' speeding points demands severance pay
- Chris Huhne accused of hypocrisy as senior Lib Dems condemned severance pay
- Ex-minister facing criminal charges recently owns EIGHT homes
- If found guilty of trying to dodge speeding penalty points he could be jailed
Last updated at 12:46 AM on 29th February 2012
Payout: Millionaire Chris Huhne will pocket £17,000 - the equivalent of three months of his ministerial salary despite being forced to resign because he faces prosecution
Chris Huhne will pocket a taxpayer-funded payoff worth more than £17,000 today – despite being the first Cabinet minister in history to be forced from office by a criminal prosecution.
The millionaire MP, who recently bought his eighth property, is being handed the tax-free sum after stepping down to fight charges of perverting the course of justice.
Mr Huhne resigned as Energy Secretary on February 3 after he was charged over allegations that he used his ex-wife Vicky Pryce’s name to escape speeding penalty points.
By law, Mr Huhne is allowed three months of his £68,827 ministerial salary, worth £17,207. This is on top of his £65,738 salary as Liberal Democrat MP for Eastleigh in Hampshire.
The 57-year-old MP, who has fiercely protested his innocence, has been under pressure from opponents to forfeit the ministerial severance payment. However last night the Cabinet Office confirmed that Mr Huhne will receive it today.
His decision to accept the money has triggered accusations of hypocrisy as senior Liberal Democrats have condemned ex-ministers for taking payoffs.
In 2010, Mr Huhne shared a platform with Conservative Party chairman Baroness Warsi when she called for ex-ministers to forfeit the controversial taxpayer-funded payoffs.
She said: ‘At a time when people across the country are being asked to tighten their belts to deal with Labour’s economic mess, it is unacceptable that the very people responsible walk away with up to £20,000 each.
‘Forfeiting this pay would be the first step towards accepting their responsibility.’
Mr Huhne’s Lib Dem colleague, pensions minister Steve Webb, said in 2009: ‘People will be shocked to learn that former ministers get these payoffs even when they have been sacked or left of their own free will. While thousands are losing their jobs, failed ministers get a huge payout on top of their salary as MPs. This can’t go on.’
Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2107901/Chris-Huhne-Minister-facing-trial-swapping-speeding-points-demands-17k-severance-pay.html#ixzz1nkhgkVDI
