As a Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) politician, Bell served as a Member of the Legislative Assembly (MLA) for Strangford from 2010 to 2017.

On accepting the invitation to replace Robinson as an MLA he resigned his position as a member of the Northern Ireland Human Rights Commission, as the Northern Ireland Act 1998 stipulated that membership of the Commission was incompatible with Assembly membership.

[7] Bell had, with UUP member Daphne Trimble, been one of two Commissioners to publicly oppose the Commission's stance on a Bill of Rights for Northern Ireland.

Bell was co-opted to the Northern Ireland Assembly, in 2010, as a member for Strangford, following the resignation of Iris Robinson.

[citation needed] In May 2012, Bell attacked golf clubs in Northern Ireland for being a haven for sectarian attitudes, although he later apologised.

On 16 December 2016, Bell gave an emotional interview with Stephen Nolan for BBC Northern Ireland about his and Foster's involvement with the scandal-hit Renewable Heat Incentive scandal.

[12] The fallout from the RHI scandal led to the opposition parties in the Northern Ireland Assembly to table an exclusion motion to remove Arlene Foster from her position as First Minister.

[citation needed] In February 2017, Bell announced that he would contest the March 2017 Assembly Election as an Independent.