Vicky Pryce Is Stripped Of Queen's Honour

Chris Huhne's ex-wife has had her honour for government service cancelled by the Queen, completing her fall from grace.

High-flying economist Vicky Pryce was made a Companion of the Order of the Bath (CB) in the 2009 Birthday honours.

The honour is the equivalent of a Commander of the British Empire (CBE) but is just a different order.

Pryce received her CB in recognition of her contribution as head of the Government economic service.

But the award has now been cancelled and annulled and her name will be removed from the register of the Order of the Bath.

The Forfeiture Committee revokes honours where their holder is considered to have brought the system into disrepute.

Its decisions have to be submitted to the Queen for approval by the Prime Minister before a notice can be put in the London Gazette.

The announcement said: "The Queen has directed that the appointment of Vicky, Mrs Pryce, to be a Member of the Civil Division of the Third Class, or Companion, of the Most Honourable Order of the Bath, dated June 13 2009, shall be cancelled and annulled and that her name shall be erased from the Register of the said Order."

Pryce and Huhne were jailed for eight months in March after they were finally punished for lying about a speeding offence in 2003.

Huhne repeatedly denied any wrongdoing and battled to get the case dismissed but eventually admitted his guilt on the eve of his trial.

In court, Pryce argued she was forced to take the points by her then husband but her story was ultimately rejected.

Allegations about the points swap only emerged in the press in 2011 after the senior Lib Dem dumped his wife for another woman.

During Pryce's trial, it emerged she had deliberately leaked the story in a bid to "nail" her former husband as revenge for his betrayal.

The pair, who have three children together, were released in May after almost two months behind bars and have to wear electronic tags.

Greek-born Pryce, a regular TV pundit before her conviction, immediately announced she was publishing a book on her experiences called Prisonomics.

She also recently gave evidence to a Lords committee on the eurozone crisis.

By contrast, Huhne - who was once seen as a future Lib Dem party leader - has kept a low profile since leaving jail.