His appearance in the witness box is being seen as the most crucial phase in the long-running inquiry into payments to politicians which has gripped the Irish Republic for the last few months.

BBC: Public gripped by payments inquiry

In sometimes emotional evidence from the witness box, he told how he had battled racism in his political career - he had been an unsuccessful Tory candidate in Cheltenham at the 1992 general election - and claimed he was in public life to "help people" and not for the money.

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Returning to the witness box for a second time, Vicky Pryce told the new jury the same tale - and emphasised the impact that Huhne's affair had on their family.

BBC: Huhne v Pryce: A fight to the last

The newly-introduced system, the "open secret ballot system", allows each voter to stand and witness the ballot box opened, the votes counted, the results declared.

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