IN the past year Neil Hamilton has mingled with pop stars and made almost as many headlines as them. But now he and his wife Christine stand on the brink of financial ruin. This week Guardian chief reporter Andrew Moores found out what it was like to be Neil Hamilton and how he was facing up to the future after losing his latest court battle with Harrods' boss Mohamed Al Fayed

THE year 2000 is one former Tatton MP Neil Hamilton would rather forget.

It has, he says, been hell on earth.

It began with the loss of his costly libel action against Harrods' boss Mohamed Al Fayed - and ended in a similarly spectacular fashion in December.

What hurt most were comments printed in Britain's dailies.

"It could hardly have been worse if I were a paedophile," he said.

But from the moment the jury reached its damning verdict in December 1999, Tatton's former MP says he has received masses of support from the public.

Both, he says, have been moved to tears by the generosity of strangers.

One well-wisher sent 20 £50 notes and a pensioner gave them four first-class stamps.

It was a sure sign that perhaps the public's perception of the Hamiltons was changing after years of mistrust and dislike.

But despite those affectionate symbols of support - including an e-mail from fellow Tory Michael Portillo - the couple hid away at New Year with bottles of alcohol and sleeping pills as the rest of the world welcomed the dawn of a new millennium.

A year on, they could have been forgiven for feeling the same after losing the latest battle with Al Fayed.

But this time, the Hamiltons viewed their defeat differently and are surprisingly confident about the future.

"If you believe in your cause and what you are doing is right then you keep going," Mr Hamilton told the Guardian last week.

"But it has required tremendous staying power and strength of character against a national newspaper with a bottomless pocket and a billionaire."

Speaking from his home in Alderley Edge, which he will have to sell to pay £2million of legal bills, he said he had plans for the future.

Many of them revolve around paying his debts, but most of all he wants peace of mind.

"We have got to make the best of the rest of our lives and even at the advanced age of 52 I believe I can repair the hole in our finances," he said.

He can expect more support as he tries to rebuild his life, but he is not taking anything for granted.

Companions have stood by the couple through the roughest times while others proved to be 'fair-weather friends.'

Among those still sticking by him, is former Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher, who sent the former junior minister a Christmas card.

He has needed such support for the year 2000 has been full of lows despite mingling with the Spice Girls and appearing on television.

In January his car was stolen from a London garage after he stopped to talk to a supporter. With it went his credit cards, house keys and a computer.

A month later a bailiff presented him with a statutory demand for £501,000 to be paid to Al Fayed within 21 days.

In September, as it became clear that the Hamiltons would have to sell their Cheshire home to pay their legal costs, they met the first potential buyer.

"My stomach sank as she walked around," he said. "Clearly she loved it."

Much of Mr Hamilton's support has come from local people who helped him to win his seat in Parliament.

But despite the strong sentiments he has refused to set foot in most of the Tatton constituency since he was beaten by Independent Martin Bell nearly four years ago.

"It is very emotional and still quite painful for us to recall the events of the past few years," he said.

"There is no problem in the physical sense, but I have found it better to close the door on all that.

"We still spend a substantial part of our year in Cheshire, but psychologically it was best to put it all in the past as we have had to make a new life for ourselves."

As he strives to make a name for himself as a journalist, Mr Hamilton keeps a watchful eye on the political world.

"A lot of Conservative politicians blamed me for the result of the 1997 election or at best for playing a part in it, but the further away we get the more difficult it is to justify that charge," he said.

"The Party doesn't seem that much better today as in the summer of 1997 and no one could seriously blame me now."

During December's trial at the Appeal Court, Mark Stocks, chairman of the Tatton Conservative Association, begged Mr Hamilton to give up his fight for the Party's sake.

It was an attitude that disappointed Mr Hamilton.

"Surely unrelated embarrassment should not take preference over truth and justice and that might be why the Party has not been more persuasive in proving its cause in the past few years," he said.

"To forget about the destruction of a Member of Parliament and the perpetuation of a lie just because it might have some temporary consequence for the Party is not the attitude of the Churchills and the Thatchers of the past.

"He is being untrue to the Party's heritage."

As the next general election draws near, Mr Hamilton predicted another landslide victory for Labour.

"I better remain studiously vague about Hague," he said.

But he is sure of success for at least one sitting Conservative.

He has little faith in the chances of his former adversary Martin Bell and believes Eric Pickles will remain MP for Brentwood and Ongar.

As the self-confessed 'original Eurosceptic', he believes Britain's sovereignty is the only issue that should sway voters' minds when they go to the polls.

"It is the only substantial constitutional issue which people should make a choice on," he said.

Although he is sure he has little chance of becoming an MP again at 52, he does want to have his say on the key issues.

A column in a national newspaper might be on the cards and further television appearances are not out of the question.

"Through a newspaper you are reaching a bigger constituency rather than being entombed in the columns of Hansard," he said.

It seems almost certain that Mr Hamilton will continue to hit the headlines this year.

Although he does not know where he will live when he sells up, one destination is definitely on the cards - Strasbourg and the European Court of Human Rights.

If his lawyers believe he has a chance of success he will challenge the judges' decision at the end of his five-day appeal.

Little is certain about his future apart from the fact that he is making sure he has one.

And by his side throughout will be his wife.

"The best thing about being Neil Hamilton is being married to Christine," he said.

"The worst thing is the financial predicament we are in."

But he added: "No one is sympathetic if you fold up in a corner and whinge.

"I want to show that I can not only survive, but prosper. I want to achieve peace of mind after six-and-a-half years of sheer hell."