How shamed Chris Huhne ‘is fascinated’ by prison life
JAILED Chris Huhne has yet to show repentance about the speeding points scandal that put him behind bars, according to ex-Tory Cabinet Minister Jonathan Aitken.
Mr Aitken has exchanged letters with the former Liberal Democrat Energy Secretary, who was handed an eight-month prison sentence last month for perverting the course of justice after admitting his then wife Vicky Pryce accepted speeding points on his behalf.
He said Huhne did not show signs of remorse and appeared instead to be in “good shape” and fascinated by prison life.
Mr Aitken, who spent seven months in prison in 1999 for perjury, decided to start writing to Huhne before he was sentenced to offer advice about what prison was like for such high-profile inmates. He said: “When he was obviously on his way into prison I wrote to him because we are the only two members of a rather exclusive club.
“I wrote him a letter of good cheer and got a very nice letter back about a week or so before he was sentenced. I think he found some of the sensible tips for high-profile prisoners useful.”
Asked if the ex-MP for Eastleigh had shown any signs of repentance, Mr Aitken responded: “This was not a confessional correspondence, it was a cheerful correspondence. So there was no clue about repentance.
“I think all people who have been through a prison sentence are living in cloud cuckoo land if they think they can remain in denial about what they have done without a degree of repentance.” Huhne was first sent to Wandsworth Prison in south London before being moved to Leyhill open prison in Gloucestershire.
Mr Aitken, who studied theology in prison and is now a writer on Christian thinking, revealed he sent him a copy of his own book called Psalms For People Under Pressure. He said: “I got a rather nice letter back saying: ‘Well the Psalms are marvellous’ and I think he said: ‘I have found them fascinating,’ which is a surprisingly positive adjective to use about a prison.
“He said: ‘My old journalistic curiosities are much livened up by this experience and there are some good stories in here.’”
Huhne was caught speeding on the M11 in 2003 but details of the offence only emerged when he left his wife for his political aide Carina Trimingham and Miss Pryce handed over details to the media.
She was also jailed for eight months after being found guilty of perverting the course of justice.