Vicky Pryce today admitted she had “inflicted a criminal on the voters of Eastleigh” by agreeing to take Chris Huhne’s speeding points.
Pryce told Southwark crown court she was “practically suicidal” when she went to the press about the speeding points after splitting with her MP husband. She accepted “it was not a fantastic plan” and as a result “a can of worms was opened in a way I didn’t expect”.
The economist was cross-examined today by prosecutor Andrew Edis QC on the third day of her retrial. She has pleaded not guilty to perverting the course of justice, on the grounds of marital coercion.
Pryce, 60, of Clapham, told the jury she had gone to the press in 2010, after seven years of secrecy, to expose Huhne’s true character. But Mr Edis said her claim to have acted “in the interests of democracy is just poppycock”. She replied: “That is just one side of it.”
Mr Edis said: “But by doing what you did in 2003 you had inflicted a criminal on the voters of Eastleigh, didn’t you?” Pryce: “On reflection, yes.”
The case continues.
