No 10 backs Huhne as police look into driving ban 'dodge'
Downing Street said today that David Cameron had "full confidence" in Energy Secretary Chris Huhne as police announced an initial inquiry into claims that Mr Huhne had dodged a driving ban.
A statement from the Essex force said that a senior detective will examine the claims before any official investigation is started.
Mr Huhne, 56, strongly denies that his now estranged wife Vicky Pryce, who he left for a bisexual aide, was wrongly named as the driver for a speeding offence so that he did not lose his licence.
But an official police inquiry into any attempt to pervert the course of justice would leave him clinging to his Cabinet career.
Today a Downing Street source said: "He is innocent until proven guilty."
Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg held a face-to-face meeting with his Liberal Democrat colleague this morning during which Mr Huhne repeated his denials that he had used someone else's name to avoid penalty points for speeding.
A source close to Mr Clegg said: "He [Mr Huhne] is denying the allegations. There are lots of examples of politicians being looked into by the police."
Lib-Dem aides highlighted that Tony Blair was interviewed by police investigating the cash-for-honours allegations.
However, Peter Hain resigned from the Cabinet to "clear his name" after his Labour deputy leadership campaign donations were referred to police.
Essex Police today appointed a senior detective to establish if an offence took place, as claimed, in 2003.
Detective Superintendent Tim Wills said: "We take any allegations of criminal offences extremely seriously. However, an investigation will not be formally launched until our inquiries show that an offence has been committed. This is the work that my team and I will be carrying out this week."
As revealed by the Standard, Mr Huhne's estranged wife, 57, could ruin his prospects of becoming Lib-Dem leader should rank-and-file activists turn against Mr Clegg.
She is alleged to have been the person whose name was used to spare Mr Huhne from getting the points on his licence. One source said that she was unaware that her name had been used.
Details emerged yesterday of a tape recording in which Mr Huhne is claimed to be talking to a woman urging her not to talk about the alleged incident and appearing to deny that it took place.
Reports suggested that the woman was his estranged wife, but this could not be confirmed.
Rochdale Labour MP Simon Danczuk has lodged a formal complaint with the Essex force over the allegations.
The Energy Secretary was an MEP at the time of the alleged offence.
Perverting the course of justice by making a false declaration can lead to a six-month jail sentence.
Neither Mr Huhne nor Ms Pryce could be contacted today.
