BRENTWOOD: Bell blasts Sunday tabloid slurs

MARTIN BELL who is fighting the Brentwood and Ongar seat in the next General election has hit back at claims his campaign has got off to a bad start. Two Sunday tabloids mocked Mr Bell claiming that only a handful of people turned up to his book signing session in a Brentwood book store. The Sunday Express and Mail on Sunday said only 12 people showed to get their books signed at Ottakars in Brentwood High street. The Sunday Express even quoted someone who said Mr Bell clearly had the "hump" and therefore left. Renowned journalist Mr Bell, who is currently MP for Tatton, was quick to rubbish the claims. He said: "You can't always believe what you read in the papers. "I expect people to tell lies about me it happens in politics, it doesn't bother me. "I have been in journalism long enough not to be blown off course by a load of nonsense. "The book is doing fine, I am doing fine and the campaign has got off to a terrific start - don't ask me, ask the people of Brentwood." Paula Della Mure, a senior bookseller at the shop, backed Mr Bell comments by saying he was in a good mood and there was a healthy crowd in the shop. She said: "We only have a small shop and I wasn't counting how many people were here but there were far more than 12. "Mr Bell turned up at short notice and was only here about an hour - admittedly there was not a huge queue of people waiting to have their books signed. "There were a lot of press and cameras here and I think shoppers held back due to them. "Mr Bell was in a pleasant and positive mood and certainly didn't have the hump."