Prior to the 1997 general election, Hamilton determined to try to retain his parliamentary seat. His majority at the 1992 general election had been almost 16,000 votes. In 1997, Tatton was the fourth safest Conservative seat in Britain. Hamilton was under investigation by the Parliamentary Standards Commissioner as part of the "cash for questions" enquiry and some party members thought he should stand down after the collapse of his case against "The Guardian". Disquiet in the local association became public, but the majority gave him the benefit of the doubt.