On Monday, he wrote to Mr Hague asking why the Tory Party leader had publicly condemned him in a TV interview.

"I have written to Mr Hague and I have asked him what he meant," said Mr Hamilton.

"He was asked questions by Jonathan Dimbleby and he apparently said some foolish things."

During the interview, Mr Hague had made it clear that Mr Hamilton would never stand for the Tories again - and was not welcome at this week's party conference in Bournemouth.

His comments coincided with rumours that journalist Jonathan Hunt was to launch his book Trial by Conspiracy at this week's conference - with Mr Hamilton by his side.

But Mr Hamilton said it was absurd. "It was all to do with the launch of Trial by Conspiracy," he said.

But Mr Hague needn't have been worried by the threatened appearance of the book this week.

For Mr Hunt will launch his book, which he claims uncovers evidence to clear Mr Hamilton's name, when Parliament meets again on October 19.

Mr Hunt wrote much of the book at his parents' home, opposite the cottage of Mr Hamilton's successor, Martin Bell, in Great Budworth.

And his father is the sexton of St Mary's and All Saints Church in Great Budworth, where Martin Bell and the vicar famously failed to get on.

Converted for the new archive on 13 March 2001. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.