Martin Bell: vicar "didn't want me in his church"

Bell Quits His Local Church

Mr Bell has labelled the vicar, the Rev Derek Mills, an "unreconstructed Hamiltonian" - a reference to the former Tory MP Neil Hamilton, defeated by Mr Bell in the election for the Tatton constituency. Mr Hamilton's last months in parliament were dominated by his involvement in the "cash for questions" controversy.

The row was provoked by comments made by Rev Mills in the parish magazine of the Church of St. Mary and All Saints, which Mr Bell attended after moving into his rented home in Great Budworth, near Northwich in Cheshire. Lamenting the conduct of the election campaign, Rev Mills said: "Do you think that when all the asses bray you get wisdom?". Rev Mills then opined that "wisdom in our constituency has not been increased."

Mr Bell has now decided to worship elsewhere. He said: "I have been to the church twice and the last time I went I was handed a copy of the newsletter as I walked out. I read it and thought, 'I can't go back in there'. I don't think he wanted me in his church anyway."

But he insisted that there were "no hard feelings". He added: "Mr Mills is entitled to his political opinions. He came to one of my meetings and he was quite obviously a Tory."

For his part, the vicar said that his remarks were "not anti-Bell - it is more about sympathy for Neil Hamilton." Mr Bell's reaction was, he said, "very sad".

Mr Hamilton hailed the vicar "for his expressions of Christian concern". Asked about Mr Bell's decision to leave the church, he replied: "It seems that the ego has landed in Great Budworth and there are bats in the belfry."

The church holds its parish fete on Saturday. Mr Bell won't be there, but the Hamiltons will be "visiting as planned".