The independent MP, Mr Martin Bell, placed his future in the hands of his constituents last night as the Tory candidate he defeated in the general election urged the parliamentary standards watchdog to investigate his undeclared election expenses.
Mr Bell, a former BBC war correspondent, promised to pay the £9,400 legal bill after it was revealed that Labour and the Liberal Democrats originally paid it. He said he failed to declare the services because he believed they had been provided free of charge.
He defended himself against charges of sleaze by his opponent for the Tatton seat, former Tory MP Mr Neil Hamilton, by claiming that his election campaign was "a little bit of a crusade."
At a press conference in Tatton yesterday, Mr Bell said he had "no apologies" to make and asked his constituents to write and tell him what to do next - resign or pay the bill. Mr Bell won by a majority of 22,000.
Mr Hamilton accused Mr Bell of hypocrisy for claiming to be an independent candidate when, he suggested, he was "a pawn" of the Labour Party and the Liberal Democrats. However, he ruled out seeking the Tory nomination if a by-election is called while he is fighting to clear his name over the cash-for-questions affair.
"He accused me the whole time of conduct unbecoming . . . If he is a man of honour he will resign," Mr Hamilton said.
If Mr Bell were found guilty of fraud, a legal challenge to his election could be instigated by the Director of Public Prosecutions. But the Conservative Association in Tatton said last night it would not challenge Mr Bell. The office of the parliamentary watchdog, Sir Gordon Downey, said it had not received any details of his undeclared expenses.
The bitter and often personal contest between the "man in the white suit" and Mr Hamilton erupted during the election campaign when the Labour and Liberal Democrat candidates stepped down in order to let Mr Bell contest the seat on an anti-sleaze ticket.
Mr Hamilton was facing intense pressure to resign over his involvement in the "cash-for-questions" affair when Mr Bell stepped into the contest initially as an "anti-corruption" candidate.
Mr Hamilton threatened a legal challenge to this plan, which he said implied he was corrupt. This forced Mr Bell to rename himself as independent.
Three days ago Mr Bell was informed that the legal advice he had received about the validity of his candidacy was paid for by Labour and the Liberal Democrats.