Peter McDowell, 42, who has arthritis in both hands, left his office in Knutsford's Canute Square for the last time at the weekend.

"I'm still a member of the association so I can vote on matters now," he said.

Mr McDowell became a media figure through his role in Mr Hamilton's selection and subsequent battle with Martin Bell.

But yesterday he said he had few regrets.

"I'd rather the situation had not arisen, although it was a tremendously exciting situation, he said. "But my priority was to make sure it ran democratically by its rules - and that's what happened in 1997."

Yesterday Laurence Hobday, who rebelled against Mr Hamilton's selection, paid tribute to a first class agent, but insisted he could have done more to protect the party's reputation.

"I think he clearly allied himself with the Hamilton faction," said Mr Hobday.

But Mr Bell, who went on to defeat the disgraced minister in the general election, said: "The last election was particularly difficult for Peter McDowell, but he survived it with good humour intact."

A new agent will be chosen by the association's executive on February 22.

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