WESTMINSTER - Former BBC war correspondent Martin Bell used his maiden speech in the House of Commons to make a forceful plea for the abolition of landmines around the world.
Speaking from the Opposition benches, Mr Bell, who replaced Mr Neil Hamilton as the member for Tatton in Cheshire, repeated his request for a crossbench in the Chamber to provide a place for Independent MPs such as himself to sit.
Wearing his trademark light suit, Mr Bell opened his short speech by paying a tribute to his predecessor, the man at the centre of the cash-for-questions row. He said Mr Hamilton had "revived the spirit of democracy in Tatton".