Chris Huhne, whose appointment had to be approved by the advisory committee on bsiness appointments. Photograph: Olivia Harris/REUTERS
The disgraced former cabinet minister Chris Huhne has walked into more controversy after taking a job with a US energy firm, raising fresh concerns about the revolving door between business and government.
Huhne, who was released from jail three months ago, having served 62 days of an eight-month sentence for perverting the course of justice, was appointed as energy secretary in the coalition government after the 2010 general election but stood down in February last year after criminal charges were filed against him for asking his then-wife to take speeding points for him a decade ago.
Zilkha Biomass Energy, based in Houston, Texas, announced Huhne's appointment as chairman of his European business on its website. It praises him as "one of the pioneers in calling for political action to deal with global warming" and an "award-winning journalist". The statement makes no mention of his conviction.
On entering 10 Downing Street David Cameron promised he would lead the "greenest government ever" but as energy secretary Huhne was seen as fighting a losing battle against Tories intent on prioritising business interests over climate change. In 2011, he attacked his Conservative colleagues in government as "rightwing ideologues" and "deregulation zealots" for placing environmental regulations on a list of red tape to be considered for scrapping.
As a former cabinet minister, Huhne's appointment had to be approved by the advisory committee on bsiness appointments (AcobA). The committee noted that Huhne met ZBE representatives during his last two years in office but added: "This meeting had been for ZBE to brief officials and provide information, and had not included any request for finance or policy exchange."
It also said that he was not involved in "the development of policy, award of grants, or regulatory work that might have impacted on ZBE" and had no access to commercially sensitive information about any of its competitors.
It approved the appointment on condition that Huhne does not draw on any privileged information that was available to him as a minister and that he should not become personally involved in lobbying the UK government on behalf of ZBE or its clients until 3 February next year (two years from his last day in ministerial office).
Concerns have frequently been raised about the revolving door between business and government and that scrutiny of the potential for conflict of interest is not robust enough. Bernard Jenkin, the chair of the Commons public administration select committee, has called for AcobA, which is chaired by Lord Lang, to be replaced by an independent ethics commissioner with legal powers of investigation and enforceable statutory penalties, in accordance with a clear code of conduct.
On his release from prison, Huhne described it as a humbling and sobering experience and asked that he be allowed to "continue with my life". His ex-wife, Vicki Pryce, was freed on the same day, having received an identical sentence. Last month, she was stripped of the Companion of the Order of the Bath.
Source: http://www.theguardian.com/politics/2013/aug/11/chris-huhne-us-energy-firm-release-prison
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