Editing Martin Bell (section)

==Post-political life==
[[File: FrontlineClubMeeting1.JPG|thumb|Bell addresses a [[Frontline Club]] forum in 2007.]]
Bell was appointed [[UNICEF UK]] Ambassador for Humanitarian Emergencies in August 2001, to work to improve the plight of children affected by conflict and natural disasters.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.unicef.org.uk/UNICEFs-Work/Our-supporters/Celebrities/Martin-Bell-OBE/ |title=Martin Bell OBE, Unicef UK Ambassador |publisher=UNICEF |access-date=18 July 2015}}</ref>

He made a brief return to television news in 2003 when he provided analysis of the Iraq invasion for [[ITN]]'s Channel Five News. He compiled films from the daily video footage and drew on his experience to comment upon this material.

Bell reversed his previous decision and stood for the [[European Parliament]] in the [[2004 European Parliament election in the United Kingdom|June 2004 elections]], but was ultimately unsuccessful as an independent candidate in the [[East of England (European Parliament constituency)|East of England]] region, winning only 6.2% of the vote.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.bbc.co.uk/threecounties/election/2004/election_european.shtml  |title=European Elections: Eastern region |publisher=[[BBC]] |date=June 2004 |access-date=26 April 2007}}</ref>

Before the [[2005 United Kingdom general election|2005 general election]] he became affiliated with the [[Independent Network]] to help promote independent candidates (its most prominent candidate being [[Reg Keys]] who fought against prime minister [[Tony Blair]] in the [[Sedgefield (UK Parliament constituency)|Sedgefield]] constituency).<ref>{{cite news |url=http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_qn4158/is_20050407/ai_n13564131 |title=ELECTION '05: Father who lost son in Iraq leads single-issue |work=The Independent |access-date=26 April 2007}} {{dead link |date=September 2010 |bot=H3llBot}}</ref>

In April 2006, [[Scottish National Party]] MP [[Angus MacNeil]] asked the [[Metropolitan Police]] to investigate whether any law had been broken in the [[Cash-for-Honours scandal|Cash for Peerages]] scandal. Bell wrote jointly with MacNeil to Prime Minister [[Tony Blair]] calling for all appointments to the [[House of Lords]] to be suspended.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/4912678.stm |title=Bell presses Blair over honours |publisher=BBC News|date=16 April 2006}}</ref>

In May 2009, he came out in support of the [[Green Party of England and Wales|Green Party]] in the weeks before the [[2009 European Parliament election in the United Kingdom|2009 European Parliament election]], supporting the Green Party's 'Clean Campaigning' pledge in the wake of the [[United Kingdom parliamentary expenses scandal|scandal over MPs' expenses]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://eastern.greenparty.org.uk/region/easternregion/news/futher-boast-for-greens-as-high-profile-figures-back-campaign.html |title=Boost for Greens as high-profile figures back campaign |publisher=Green Party |access-date=21 May 2009 |archive-date=24 February 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120224005943/http://eastern.greenparty.org.uk/region/easternregion/news/futher-boast-for-greens-as-high-profile-figures-back-campaign.html |url-status=dead }}</ref>

On 21 May 2009, he appeared on the special live edition of BBC's ''[[Question Time (TV programme)|Question Time]]'' which was held in [[Salisbury]] in the midst of the political scandal surrounding MPs' expenses.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/programmes/question_time/8056002.stm |title=Question Time |publisher=BBC News|date=19 May 2009 |access-date=26 March 2010}}</ref>

He announced that he was considering standing against a third Conservative MP, Sir [[Nicholas Winterton]], the MP for [[Macclesfield (UK Parliament constituency)|Macclesfield]], at the 2010 general election, but following Winterton's announcement that he was not going to seek re-election, did not do so.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.macclesfield-express.co.uk/news/s/1036325_bell_tempted_to_take_on_sir_nick_but_admits_challenge_is_highly_unlikely |title=Bell tempted to take on Sir Nick but admits challenge is 'highly unlikely' |work=Macclesfield Express |date=13 February 2008 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080217211912/http://www.macclesfield-express.co.uk/news/s/1036325_bell_tempted_to_take_on_sir_nick_but_admits_challenge_is_highly_unlikely |archive-date=17 February 2008}}</ref> He indicated that he might stand against [[Hazel Blears]] in [[Salford (UK Parliament constituency)|Salford]] (the first sitting MP of a party other than the Conservative Party against whom he expressed an interest in standing)<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/news/s/1117610_bell_may_challenge_blears_ |archive-url=https://archive.today/20120804134717/http://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/news/s/1117610_bell_may_challenge_blears_ |url-status=dead |archive-date=4 August 2012 |title=Bell may challenge Blears |first=David |last=Ottewell |work=[[Manchester Evening News]] |date=28 May 2009 |access-date=30 May 2009}}</ref> although in the end he did not stand in any constituency.

In November 2018, Bell fell at [[Gatwick Airport]] and required major maxillo-facial surgery at [[St George's Hospital]] to rebuild his face. He praised surgeon Helen Witherow, saying "this lady is an absolutely brilliant surgeon, and I think sometimes the NHS can use a bit of good publicity".<ref name="davies">{{cite news |last1=Davies |first1=Caroline |title=Ex-BBC reporter Martin Bell praises surgeons who rebuilt his face |url=https://www.theguardian.com/society/2019/jan/09/ex-bbc-war-reporter-martin-bell-praises-surgeons-rebuilt-face |access-date=11 January 2019 |work=The Guardian|date=9 January 2019}}</ref>

In November 2021, Bell was approached by the [[Liberal Democrats (UK)|Liberal Democrats]] to run in the [[2021 North Shropshire by-election]] after the resignation of the Tory MP [[Owen Paterson]] after a lobbying scandal, but declined to stand.<ref name=":4">{{Cite news|last=Madeley|first=Peter|date=11 November 2021|title=Former anti-sleaze MP Martin Bell rejects offer to stand for Lib Dems in North Shropshire|url=https://www.shropshirestar.com/news/politics/2021/11/11/former-anti-sleaze-mp-martin-bell-rejects-offer-to-stand-for-lib-dems-in-north-shropshire/|url-status=live|access-date=12 December 2021|work=Shropshire Star|archive-date=12 December 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211212104457/https://www.shropshirestar.com/news/politics/2021/11/11/former-anti-sleaze-mp-martin-bell-rejects-offer-to-stand-for-lib-dems-in-north-shropshire/}}</ref>