Crime and punishment

Chris Huhne, the absurd Secretary of State for global Warming, or somesuch, the man behind the windmills and expensive electricity bills, has been charged with perverting the course of justice.

What happened is alleged is that in 2003 he persuaded his wife, the economist Vicky Price, to take a speeding ticket on his behalf. In 2010 he left his wife for a bisexual research assistant, and Ms Price let it emerge in a Sunday newspaper that this was what had happened.

It is hard to see the crime as particularly serious, and I am sure it happens quite a lot, but it is perverting the course of justice, however grandiose a name, and he cannot remain a cabinet minister while he is trying to clear himself of such a crime. Not that I am defending Huhne (which means chicken in German; his actual name is Christopher Paul-Huhne but it probably lacked the common touch and like so many public figures he goes under an alias); the country will be better off without him.

Of course if he is found guilty he should not remain as an MP: you cannot be a lawmaker and be guilty of perverting the course of justice. It would be a nonsense.