Huhne falls to earth (but denies he’s a bully) – Media and Blog roundup: March 12th 2013

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Huhne falls to earth – but denies he’s a bully

“Chris Huhne has admitted that he had ‘lied and lied again’, saying he was shocked that what began as a ‘fairly trivial issue’ could have such a devastating effect on his family and career. In two extraordinary interviews, given hours before he was jailed, the disgraced former Liberal Democrat Cabinet minister spoke out for the first time since pleading guilty to perverting the course of justice.” – Daily Mail

“In an interview with the Guardian hours before he was sentenced to eight months in prison, he said: “I am sorry. I want to say that to family, to friends, to constituents and to colleagues, and more broadly to everybody who cares passionately about the causes I care about, including saving the planet for our children and our grandchildren. Huhne made one wider plea about his character and his behaviour in his marriage, saying: “I was not in court to answer … things that were said about me. Anyone who knows me knows I am not a bully and that I don’t bully people. My reputation is not that.”” – Guardian

UK needs 850,000 jobs

“Employers need to create 850,000 extra jobs to reach the pre-recession peak, according to an in-depth report that undermines claims the jobs market has defied the recession. An increase in the number of private sector jobs over the last four years has failed to keep pace with a steady rise in the UK’s population of over-16s, leaving the proportion of people in work well short of the previous high, the Resolution Foundation said. The UK adult population has grown by 1.7m since 2008, leaving the employment rate – the proportion of people in employment – 1.7 percentage points lower today than in 2008.” – Guardian

Other highlights

• Chris Huhne and the rich history of dodgy politicians – Kevin Maguire, Mirror
• Another senior Lib Dem quits – Guardian
• Labour and Tories both think they’ll lose 2015 and they can’t both be right – Steve Richards, Independent
• Falkland Islanders vote to stay British by 99.8% to 0.2% – Reuters
• Why the Tories shouldn’t lurch to the right – David Skelton