Former Cabinet minister Chris Huhne denies lying about speeding offence and will go on trial next week charged with perverting the course of justice

The former Cabinet minister Chris Huhne today denied lying about a 10-year-old speeding offence and will go on trial next week charged with perverting the course of justice.

Mr Huhne, 58, is accused of falsely informing Essex police that his ex-wife had been driving their car when it was clocked exceeding the speed limit on March 12, 2003, so that she would take the speeding points and he would avoid punishment.

The politician stood in the dock at Southwark Crown Court with his hands clasped in front of him and said clearly “not guilty” when he was accused of the offence.

Mr Huhne and Ms Pryce, 60, were charged with the same offence last February and will both go on trial next Monday at the central London court.

Ms Pryce has previously denied the charge on grounds of marital coercion. They are both on bail.

Mr Huhne, the former Energy Secretary, resigned from the Cabinet to fight the charge but remains the MP for Eastleigh. The accusation against Mr Huhne came to light following the acrimonious break-up of his 26-year marriage in 2010 when he admitted an affair with an aide, Carina Trimingham.