Bell backs Stollar for Brentwood and Ongar (From East London and West Essex Guardian Series)

Bell backs Stollar for Brentwood and Ongar

2:10pm Monday 28th March 2005 in

• Skip social links
• Print
• Email
•  

FORMER BBC war correspondent Martin Bell who stood as an independent general election candidate in Brentwood and Ongar four years ago, is backing Liberal Democrat hopeful Gavin Stollar.

Mr Bell, who polled 13.737 votes (31.5 per cent) cutting Conservative MP Eric Pickles' majority to 2,821, threw his weight behind Mr Stollar at a press conference held in Ongar by the Martin Bell Legacy Group on Tuesday.

The legacy group is planning a tactical voting campaign in a bid to oust Mr Pickles from the Tory stronghold.

Mr Bell known as the man in the white suit' said he was "delighted" to be back.

He said: "David Harman, chairman of my campaign committee, came to me with the idea of forming a legacy group. They wanted to carry forward what we'd done before. All the issues I stood on have not been resolved."

He added: "This next election can be as exciting as the last. The last election was closely fought with a degree of courtesy. I trust the same will happen again, and the result will be even closer. With that in mind I would like to see Gavin Stollar as the next MP for Brentwood and Ongar."

Mr Stollar said he was "grateful" for Mr Bell's endorsement, adding: "What Mr Bell started in 2001 we have the opportunity to finish. I've stated only fact in relation to issues in the constituency, on a principled platform. I don't think they would have endorsed me if they thought otherwise. I've met so many different people now, it shows a will and a wish for change in this parliamentary constituency."

He added: "What Martin Bell achieved was no mean feat in a three-week campaign. Eric Pickles came in, in 1992, with a majority of around 29,000. It takes quite a politician to reduce that majority to the one he has now."

Mr Stollar, who is an Epping Forest district councillor representing Chigwell's Grange Hill ward, said that in the last election Mr Bell had taken a large proportion of the Liberal Democrat vote, but historically the party had always been second in the constituency.

Mr Bell replied: "I didn't pinch the Lib Dem vote, I borrowed it."

After the meeting legacy group chairman David Harman said he believed Mr Bell's support would be an asset to the group's campaign.

He said: "Having Martin Bell's backing gives a certain kudos. Being able to say categorically that he has supported him is vitally important. It will help when we're talking to people, and could be worth another couple of thousand votes."

l Mr Pickles told the Guardian: "I don't think his (Mr Bell's) support will make a difference. We had the real thing last time. It's nice to see him back in the constituency after four years though."