Life after jail

But if the former Energy Secretary is looking for a new role now that his political career has reached its untimely end, this is one for which he is eminently qualified.

Indeed, during his time in prison, Mr Huhne is said to have taken a great interest in the rehabilitation, re-employment and aftercare of prisoners. It is a fair bet that neither Mr Huhne nor his ex-wife, Vicky Pryce, also freed from jail yesterday, will experience the feelings of confusion and abandonment identified as a key factor in many former felons swiftly returning to lives of crime.

Nevertheless, both will have been profoundly affected by their time in jail and their public disgrace after Huhne admitted perverting the course of justice and Pryce was found guilty of the same offence.

Should they now feel that their experiences, combined with the undoubted qualities that helped them to reach such prominent positions in life prior to their downfall, will aid them in guiding other former prisoners to go straight, then this would be a most welcome way for both to continue to perform an important public service.

Of course, both have work of their own to return to, Mr Huhne in green energy and Ms Pryce in economics, with the latter also said to be keen to write her memoirs.

But although some may say that the couple have not spent long enough in jail, it is surely the case that the pair will be more useful outside prison, particularly if they use their experiences to become prisoner mentors or to perform other, similarly useful work. In fact, almost anything would be preferable to a rerun of the demeaning public slanging-match and bitter enmity which landed them in jail in the first place.