Bell may stand against Blears

Neal Keeling and Mike Keegan

May 21, 2009

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Martin Bell

MARTIN Bell is considering standing against Hazel Blears at the next General Election.

The highly-respected former journalist and UNICEF ambassador beat Neil Hamilton in 1997 to take the Tatton seat.

Famous for his white suit he stood as an independent and served the Cheshire seat for one parliament.

Willing

Now he has indicated he is willing to stand against Ms Blears, who is under pressure after she avoided paying more than £13,000 in tax on the sale of a flat in London because it was registered with the Inland Revenue as her main home.

Mr Bell said: "I'll be 71 by the time the next election comes round. But I wouldn't rule it out. I am a great believer in local heroes and it would be great if the local people of Salford could find one of their own to come forward. If nobody does then it is definitely something I would consider. I am spoilt for choice at the moment."

Asked about his own expenses claims during his time as Tatton's MP, he said: "I had never heard of the John Lewis allowance. I could have claimed for a lot but didn't. I rented out a little cottage in Great Budworth that was paid for and I claimed the rates on it. I claimed about £7,000, but I didn't have a moat or a duck island.

"I think local areas should find local individuals. If nobody comes forward then it is definitely something I would consider."

Quit

Mr Bell added that he did not think Ms Blears should quit immediately.

He said: "She should do the honourable thing and stand down at the next election."

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alistair jones (21/05/2009 at 11:16)

No, Mr. Bell, Hazel Blears does not deserve to benefit from the public purse a day longer.
She should resign immediately and spend her time considering how much she has betrayed the true working class voters of Salford.
Flip off Hazel!

Ace Shakespeare , manchester (21/05/2009 at 11:17)

What i dont understand is why should blears be allowed to re stand? She should be banned from standing as a coucillor never mind a MP.

Tubby Scruff (21/05/2009 at 11:24)

Honour is something forgotten with the self serving parasites currently in power. It would be nice to see a local come through, standing as an independent rather than a puppet for one of the big three.

Does anybody know how much has been spent on body language by Blears mob ? They all come across the same, same tone, same head movements, simply robots for the party machine.

Black Flag (21/05/2009 at 11:35)

Bell would find him in a completely different position to when he stood against Neil Hamilton. In that instance, it was a specific campaing against one man and Labour and the Lib Dems stood aside to turn it into a two horse race.

That won't happen this time. There's no way the Lib-Dems and the Tories would stand aside; it would look far too hypocritical for them to back a campaign against one politician when their own parties have been embroiled in the same scandal.

Richard Carvath (21/05/2009 at 11:40)

I am already on public record that I will stand as an Independent Parliamentary Candidate for the Salford and Eccles constituency against Hazel Blears at the next General Election.

My name is Richard Carvath and I live in the constituency.

Mark,Radcliffe. (21/05/2009 at 11:58)

Mr Carvath..an "independent" as you know,is not affiliated to any political party.If Mr Bell,wants to fight for the same Parliamentary seat as you and Hazel Blears,so be it...Its called democracy,and not "I was here first".

nicked-name, greater manchester (21/05/2009 at 12:05)

i would go as far as saying there are thousands of good people that are more than able to do the duties of an MP that live in salford it would be nice see someone thats out of work lives in council house these are real people that understands the real problems

Bejjy ex Salford now Malta, Malta (21/05/2009 at 12:06)

Well done Martin Bell, if I still lived in the constituency I would certaily vote for you as will many others such is the detemination to unseat the smug and arrogant Blears. I was reading elsewhere that Blears is "threatening" that she will reveal "where the bodies are buried" if Gordon Brown tries to demote her from the cabinet. How much lower can this discredited woman sink in her desperate attempt to save her political skin?

Pushkin (21/05/2009 at 12:07)

She shouldn't be allowed the luxury of resigning (keeping pension entitlements etc). She should be sacked.

alistair jones (21/05/2009 at 12:16)

Agreed Pushkin, now you put it like that.

Angie33 , Manchester (21/05/2009 at 12:17)

It was great when Martin Bell took over in Knutsford.The local council estate,a Manchester overspill got the first clean up/bushes cut/rubbish removed for decades.He came to see,listened,looked around for 5 minutes,and work started within days.He didnt need begging or patronizing.He saw with his own eyes how this situation had come about and publicly denounced those responsible.So good luck to him.

PW, Manchester (21/05/2009 at 12:40)

It's amazing that these expenses 'errors' all worked out in favour of the MP's. Surely given the laws of probability, some would be against them. Yes, I'm just speaking naively.

dessie, manchester (21/05/2009 at 12:50)

i hope she does stand if she doesnt get the sack, seeing her face on election day when they read out the winner in the locals will be a picture!!!!

Emjay See supporting City is not being able to wake from a dream that keeps turning into a nightmare (21/05/2009 at 13:00)

The say politics is a blood sport. With any sport you choose your team and stand in that end. Which end will Salfordians stand in? The Blears end or the Bell...oh!

Kris-Kross, Ashton Under Lyne (21/05/2009 at 13:15)

If an unemployed man or woman claimed a benefit they were not entitled to the DSS call the police and prosecute. Imagine them saying 'Oh it was an honest mistake'. Apparently ignorance is not a defence in law....so why on earth has nobody called the police for Blears?

Corruption is within the rules. Why bother to vote for any of them?

Is It Me? (21/05/2009 at 13:22)

Hope he doesn't stand too close,folk may talk!

RT, UK (21/05/2009 at 13:45)

Hazel Blears should be deselected - She had her opportunity to show that integrity and honesty still exists in Salford.

Salford must be one of the most maligned places in the UK. Now assisted by the reputation of Hazel Blears. She is a liability for all decent people in Salford.

trueblue, manchester (21/05/2009 at 13:51)

This should be the start of the demise of 'party politics'. There is no place today for 'tribal' ,'them & us' ,'voted that way all my life' etc etc etc...
All MP's should be independents..

The Very Cheeky Monkey, in the trees (21/05/2009 at 13:59)

Mad Welsh Scotsman, Cadishead (21/05/2009 at 14:45)

And which part of Salford does he come from? We need local candidates, who might have a chance of understanding local needs

Richard Carvath (21/05/2009 at 14:47)

In reply to Mark,Radcliffe.

You are quite right. I'm not in any way suggesting Martin Bell should not stand simply because I'm already declared as an Independent. (In fact I made it public on 23rd April 2009).

If Mr. Bell or anyone else wants to stand then they will. I was simply making the point that in all the media speculation about an Independent challenge to Blears at the next election centred upon the celebrity figure Martin Bell... there is actually already an Independent.

Moreover I'm local, and in the quotes from Martin Bell in this news article Mr. Bell makes very clear that he would wholeheartedly welcome Blears being challenged by a local Independent.

I am a local Independent and in order to make it very clear that I view becoming an MP as a privileged opportunity to serve the people - and not a self-serving opportunity for snout-in-the-trough self-enrichment - I have already made a binding public commitment that if elected I will accept only a salary in line with the National Minimum Wage.

Mad Welsh Scotsman, Cadishead (21/05/2009 at 14:48)

Hazel came across as brazen on the television last night. Simply brazen. She knows she's done wrong, either in fact or in principle, and hasn't got the good grace to hold her hands up. I hope she pays a high price.
The Very Cheeky Monkey, in the trees

She will if not soon, next year. If labour get in next year, I'm moving to Zimbabwe, where they have better Democracy

red (21/05/2009 at 15:36)

when are we going to see criminal charges laid for this abuse of privilege?

Ace Shakespeare , manchester (21/05/2009 at 15:52)

red
The people are asking for criminal proceedings but the politicians are all closing ranks ..No doubt as usual the powers that be will sweep it under the carpet.

Barney Gumball LLB Hons (21/05/2009 at 16:33)

Good luck Mr Bell...

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