I know that politicians' stock resolutely continues to plummet, and Huhne's case, sadly, isn't even the worst example we have seen, but today's news is surely another black day for the credibility of the lying, devious toerags which we have the misfortune to be in charge. How can you tell a politician's lying? His lips move? In the case of Mr Huhne, who is now pleading guilty, this does seem to be the casehttps://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/2013/feb/04/chris-huhne-timeline-of-denailsrl

It just seems an incredibly stupid thing to do. To lie just to avoid a few points and a fine.
In the grand scheme of politicians lying though, it's pretty low down the list

compared with "Iraq has WMD's" and "My moral compass" it's nothing

I'm still waiting for his party leader to stop lying about being a Liberal Democrat.

Me too.

Nice smokescreen for the cabinet to have a breather behind, too.

I know quite a few people who have done this and got away with it. Including one family who has an arrangement where whoever has the least points takes the hit.

Happens all the time in businesses and in families where a breadwinner doesn't want to lose the means to earn the bread, I suppose its what happens when you have a judicial system that relies on you admitting your own guilt on an initial accusation and threat.

Having said that, if you're an MP and don't appreciate the need to be squeaky clean and on top of all that don't understand that you can claim ALL of your travel expenses whether its you driving a car or some other means, then maybe you're not cut out to be an MP anymore, its not like your bog standard Joe who might lose his licence for six months and have to fork out lots of extra dosh for taxis, trains etc out of his own family's pocket.

Interesting that his 'ex' has pleaded not guilty. If she is found not guilty what would happen to him, would they do him for perjury for saying he was guilty when he wasn't

He will probably end up the next LibDem leader with his deputy being that other forgetfull MP David Expenses Laws.

Hardly. Persistently lying over and over and only admitting the truth when he had exhausted all potential legal avenues to have his case dismissed.

He lied to avoid a driving ban, as he was already on 9 points.

If he was Tory he would be labelled the reincarnation of Hitler.

The thing is - twelve points isn't an automatic ban - its eye-watering insurance premium time, but I've employed someone in the past who ended up with 14 points at one stage and still retained his licence.

Although as I mentioned earlier, the defence of "I'll lose my job if I lose my licence" won't wash with an MP who gets paid to commute via whatever means he chooses.

That's simply because most of them are

This is the key thing. Its why Lance Armstrong has fallen so much too. The initial crime is one thing but when a public figure stands in front of the cameras and assures people he is innocent, and then later is forced to come out and admit he was guilty and lied all along, it is his personal credibility that has been shot to pieces.

What these public figures really mean by "I am innocent" is, "my lawyers have advised me that I can probably get away with this". It is sickening.