In the 2001 general election, the Independent candidate Martin Bell, who had previously won Tatton from Neil Hamilton, stood against him, due to accusations that a Pentecostal church had infiltrated the local Conservative branch. Pickles won with a reduced majority - but would have lost had Labour and Lib Dem voters voted for Bell as they had at Tatton.

Pickles has also appeared as an occasional radio presenter on local community radio station Phoenix FM.