Chris Huhne

Emotional blackmail in marriage is not that unusual and I think it does not matter how successful you are at work. It is possible to feel so pressured that at home you give in,

The curiosity will be if Huhne gives evidence against his ex-wife and says that he didn't coerce her.

Presumably he won't want to perjure himself, but as he has admitted to perverting the course of justice, will he be believed by the jury?

Of course he may not be called as witness against Ms Price, which would be even more curious.

And after all they are the only two people in the world who know what really happened.

This has been such an interesting subject, with well-informed input from many of you that have made me think twice about my opinions. We never know what goes on behind closed doors, and every marriage is different, with compromise being the order of the day on many occasions. I do still feel all VP's actions were based purely on revenge, but in her place I would probably have done the same - though it is the family I really feel sorry for.
I'm not sure whether I would take the blame for DH's actions - it would depend on the circumstances.

Boomerbabe, Yamyam and JessM...Ditto. I know exactly how you feel.

PHM12 you are obviously not blessed with insight and empathy.
And yes, yes, yes that terrible anger and shock turns you into a different woman. I would have done anything I could to get revenge, only just short of murder and harm. Only just. As it was I had to content myself with being awkward, spinning the divorce out for five whole years until I got what I wanted.
I know that seriously irritated the Other Woman and caused trouble in Love Land. That was my revenge. Honestly, normally I'm quite nice! Don't judge VP. The similarities between her family and mine are so spookily strong that I really, really feel for her. My three children, although aged 19+ didn't speak to their father for two years and even now, ten years later, their relationship is strained at times.
I could write a book!

This whole sorry affair shows to me that money, & the confidence that power & money give, means you can take revenge; go to court with expensive lawyers etc. Most of us have to divert inconsolable anger & the wish to seek justice because we can't risk the cost of the actions & consequences.

I can sympathise with her. I was with a mucher younger man for 8 years. I was a very independant career woman, private income, multilingual, definitely no 'yes woman'. He was so controlling and manipulative, he reduced me to a jibbering wreck, with no self respect. 25 years later, I am married to a wonderful man who loves and respects me. I cannot believe I allowed this to happen to me- call it some kind of madness if you like.

Most people who met me now would be completely amazed if they knew what i put up with and tolerated in first marriage.

Just adding, though, that BoomerBabe's post has given me pause for thought about strong women and controlling men. but would such a victim spill so many beans?

But there are also intelligent, manipulative women and it could equally be that VP is out for revenge - served hot!

Is she really in a relationship with Dennis McShane, disgraced MP?

Some women do move quickly on to the next relationship

From the fat to the fire .... or whatever the saying is!

I find it difficult to understand how someone can be coerced into an abortion or even taking the points but it is impossible to understand any else's marriage, especially when you have a good one yourself. I feel sorry for anyone in this position but have doubts whether VP is one of them.

I think that women who are married to controlling, possibly brutal husbands may very well do things they don't want to do. You have to experience that kind of pressure to understand it. I watched my bright, independent daughter turned into a Stepford wife by her much older partner, who leeched on her for years. I knew how people can commit murder.

I should have thought that Vicky Pryce was well able to look after herself. a well-known and high-powered economist with a glittering academic and professional career, she has succeeded in ruining her own career and reputation by (allegedly) seeking to pervert the course of justice. It's like the plot of a Greek tragedy - appropriately enough.

I can't understand how a presumably intelligent woman can be "forced" to do something she doesn't want to do.

You are right boomerbabe about the coercion experienced by women married to bullies. The stories I could tell about my ex. But won't. And never did. Although there were a number of career-ending options.
But then, I was the one who decided to leave - not sure how I would have reacted if he had run off with someone called Carina Trimingham.
I agree cagsy because not all politicians or all MPs are like him. Far from it. The minority damage the reputation of those we are in it because they want to make the world a better place.
I do wonder about his ex - she made her disclosure to a journalist at the end of a lunch. Did she set out to do what she did, or did the journalist soften her up with charm and wine?

I feel very let down and rather embarrassed because I voted for Chris Huhne for the leadership of the party. Well - the only other candidate was Nick Clegg.

My experience of marriage is that life at home involves compromises that one would not make at work. Clearly both at work and home one endeavours to remain honest, reliable and trustworthy.

I think Vicky Pryce was pushed into a situation where she found that she had already been nominated as the driver. By exposing her husband she would have been being disloyal and loyalty probably, at that point in the marriage about 10 years ago, seemed to her to be more important than honesty. Had his been in a work situation she would probably have been a 'whistle blower' and dealt with it through the correct channels immediately.

I think context is important, it has its effects on our actions and it will be interesting to see how the court rule.

i think the greatest loss, in the end, is to politics. I've known many hardworking politicians both local & national who have sacfificed a great deal because they really believe in trying to change things for the better in our society. Sadly we are now so cynical that we don't trust them & Chris Huhne has made that much worse.
The fact that he had the nerve to stand for the leadership of his party knowing all this was hanging over him really is breathtaking arrogance and selfish beyond belief.
I'm not too convinced about his ex either, she should have come clean and pleaded guilty - at least this lengthy pantomime would have been avoided then. How their kids emerge from all this though I really don't know.

Thank you, BoomerBabe. You have given a new dimension to this discussion, and certainly made me stop and think. I appreciate your honesty.

A lot of you are missing the point. Have you experienced what Vicky Pryce went through? I have and I can tell you that the anger is like nothing else on earth. It's all consuming, destructive, malicious but at the same time like a bereavement, a bereavement of trust as my GP put it. Apart from the betrayal, there's the "how could he do this to me after all I've put up with/done for him over the years" thing. And that's where the coercion comes in, it's the sort of coercion which makes you go along with things because that's the way it is with a dominant man, not out of fear, just inertia and wanting to keep the family together. It happens, even to outwardly capable and intelligent women, please believe me.

A typical MP then?

I think he appears to be a bully and a philanderer, who thinks he can get away with whatever he chooses to do. Several affairs, coercing his wife into having an abortion, forcing her to take his points. There are men out there who are controlling and he appears to be one of them.

Has he been stripped of his MP position? I know he resigned his seat.

She is a scheming woman and he wasn't fooled for a moment by those phone calls. They both deserve a heavy punishment imo. I just hope the jury don't fall for it.

They are a nasty pair. Now she has announced that he forced her to have an abortion in 1990. Even if he was in a position to "force" her – did he tie her down on an operating table – what the hell has that got to do with anything?

PS
I haven't got a driving license, so I can't REALLY do it.