Chris Huhne: The man who fell to Earth: He dreamed of being Deputy PM. Yesterday, Chris Huhne, confessing he 'lied and lied again' to save his career, was starting a new life in jail Hours before being jailed Huhne spoke out for first time since guilty plea Explains he changed his plea as he did not want to go to court and lie He said he wished his ex-wife had been cleared 'for sake of the family' David Cameron said Huhne's jailing is a reminder no one is above the law 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. He sought to explain why he had repeatedly denied asking his ex-wife to take his speeding points, claiming it began as "white lies" to protect his family as well as his career. It is just too easy to rationalise, at the beginning. You think this is just a ridiculously small misjudgment to destroy your career, and you just hope that something will turn up to stop the consequences, and it does not," he told The Guardian. Resigned to his fate: A shattered Chris Huhne arriving to face a jail sentence at Southwark Crown Court Interview: Chris Huhne talking to Channel 4 News before he was sentenced to eight months in prison for perverting the course of justice Hearing: Chris Huhne and Vicky Pryce in court where they were sentenced to jail by Mr Justice Sweeney He admitted that his political career was "very clearly over," and said that his biggest regret, apart from the damage done to his family, was losing the job he "cared about passionately." Westminster colleagues noted that Huhne, who quit the Commons last month when he changed his plea, could have remained an MP had he brazened it out a little longer. Only those jailed for 12 months or more are disqualified from Parliament by law. While there would have been a huge public backlash, some believe his constituency association would have stood by him. But last night David Cameron said the jailing of the former Energy Secretary was a reminder that no one, however powerful, is above the law. In a separate interview with Channel 4 News political editor Gary Gibbon, Huhne admitted: "I certainly lied and lied again, and part of it was about saving my career but it was also partly to try and avoid the consequences for my family." "We all, I think to get through life, have some experience of, occasionally, what people call "white lies." Jailed: Chris Huhne (left, with partner Carina Trimingham) and Vicky Pryce (right) as they arrived at Southwark Crown Court to be sentenced to eight months in prison each Damning: Huhne was told by the judge that he had lied 'again and again' as he was jailed for eight months Very clearly I should not have swapped points with my ex-wife. You know, you should accept responsibility for what you do, it was a very stupid thing to do and I very much regret doing it; I am very sorry that I did do it. He added that it seemed "crazy that what is on the face of it, without realising the full legal consequences, a fairly trivial issue of exchanging speeding points with your wife can spin into this massive, devastating set of consequences for family, for career and for everything you really care about." He suggested that Vicky Pryce had not appreciated the potential consequences when she decided to try to destroy him. "I don't think there was a full understanding of the effect all this was likely to have on the family, not just in terms of my career and potentially the career of my ex-wife as well, but also on any money that might have been put aside for the kids, to get them on the housing ladder or whatever it happens to be," he said. Hearing: A smirking Chris Huhne walks to court with Carina Trimingham Carina Trimingham, Chris Huhne's partner, leaves Southwark Crown Court following his sentencing But he added: "I have to accept responsibility, and I should not have asked my ex-wife to take my speeding points, and I should not have lied on an official form, and I should not have tried to evade the consequences. I want, and have, to say sorry for not owning up when the story first came out. I should have owned up and got on with doing something else with my career. Lawmakers can be many things, but they cannot be lawbreakers. Continuing his apology, 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. In a clear reference to his ex-wife's claims against him, which included the allegation that he pressurised her into having an abortion, he said: "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. It is true I may be prepared to say harsh things to people who are my own size or bigger than me. But I am very proud that I am not the kind of person that behaves like that to anyone who is not in a position to respond. Sometimes it is better to turn the other cheek. I have never rebutted anything directly, or indirectly, in the press precisely because I was concerned about the family consequences. Of his last-minute guilty plea, Huhne said: "I changed my plea for two reasons. I did not want to go to court and lie. I did not want to perjure myself further. He also admitted that "going into court in a bloody battle with my ex-wife, who is the mother of my three lovely children, would have been dreadful." I feel awful that so many people I love have been dragged into this. It has been a gruelling experience for all of them to be subject to this media harassment and intrusion. I am at least hopeful that the relationships with my children that suffered most at the time of the break-up and divorce can be slowly healed, and some of them are slowly healing. That, for me, is the most encouraging thing that can come out of all this. Of his ex-wife, who attempted to persuade a jury in two separate trials that she had been the victim of marital coercion, he claimed: "I very much hoped that she was not going to be found guilty, for the sake of the family." The former MP said he had been "inundated" with sympathetic letters and emails. Many have argued that we all make mistakes, and it's crazy that an offence committed by so many can be so devastating. Exit: Pryce's solicitor (left) and a member of Huhne's team (right) carry out luggage from their homes prior to being jailed Off to court: A smiling Chris Huhne and his partner Carina Trimingham hold each other as they leave their flat in Old Street on the way to Southwark Crown Court But for me, just because the legal system turns a blind eye to one case does not mean that it can, or should, in my case. He said: "Of course I do not want to go to prison. Losing freedom hurts, but I understand this is the normal sentence for the offence of passing on speeding points. I will not be the first person to go to prison, and I will not be the last. Asked what he had had for his last breakfast before going to jail, Huhne smiled and said: "Porridge." He said: "The thing, apart from the damage to my family, that hurts most in this process was the fact that I had been so involved in the party as the spokesman for the environment. Losing the job that I really wanted, prepared for and cared about passionately is by far the worst public part of this process. Huhne suggested that after prison, he would seek to return to one of his former jobs in journalism or the City. And asked if he forgave his wife, he said: "I certainly understand the hurt that attached to the way our relationship broke up. I think that was awful. Chris Huhne is fighting against paying the full cost of bringing him to justice. The disgraced politician signalled he will refuse demands to meet the publicly funded six-figure bill - despite being a multimillionaire. Prosecutors said Huhne and his ex-wife Vicky Pryce (pictured, left, being given a rose from an elderly well-wisher on her way into court) must share the £117,558 legal costs. The Crown is unable to reclaim the cost of the overall police inquiry into their actions and Essex Police refused to disclose it. Huhne's barrister, John Kelsey-Fry QC, who himself charges up to £20,000 a day, said his client is not happy with how the costs have been doled out, adding it is not "entirely a history I recognise." This has triggered yet another costly hearing for legal counsel to argue who should pay what. Southwark Crown Court was told the cost of prosecuting Huhne was £79,015, despite his guilty plea on the day of his trial. This was because at least a dozen hearings were held before the trial in which he tried to get the case thrown out of court. In addition, he was told to pay £31,000 for a police inquiry into claims an Essex detective was in improper contact with Pryce's friend Constance Briscoe. No evidence of wrongdoing was found. Even though her trial and retrial lasted five weeks, Pryce was told she must pay just £38,544, including the cost of bringing her defence of marital coercion, which was described as "dishonest" in court. The trial heard that the couple have considerable wealth from her six-figure salary as an economist and his property investments. Huhne also inherited a large sum of money from his father. They owned more than five properties in London and Oxford before their divorce in 2011. Prosecutor Andrew Edis QC said: "There is no financial evidence that suggests either defendant is unable to meet the costs." He added that Huhne first quibbled the costs last month and has made no offer of payment.