Andrew Bellows
Staff writer
Sir David Amess, Member of Parliament(MP) in the British House of Commons, was stabbed to death on Oct. 15 in Essex, England. According to the BBC, he was attacked at a church in Leigh-on-Sea. Police continue to question a man that they arrested on the suspicion of murder. Amess died at the scene of the stabbing as paramedics attempted to save him. He was 69 years old.
A prominent conservative in Parliament, Amess had been an MP for 38 years. Representing Southend West, he was well-liked and respected by his peers. Prime Minister Boris Johnson described him as, “one of the kindest” people in politics. Southend Councillor John Lamb said, “We’ve lost a very good, hard working constituency MP who worked for everyone.” Amess, a Roman Catholic, carried the cause to bring city status to Southend. This prompted Father Jeff Woolnough, a parish priest at nearby St Peter's Catholic Church, to give him the nickname “Mr. Southend.”
According to Reuters, the attack is now being deemed a terrorist attack by the Essex Police. As counter-terrorist units conduct early investigations, the police added, “potential motivation linked to Islamist extremism." While more evidence is still to be uncovered, politicians are labeling the attack as an assault on Democracy. Home Secretary Priti Patel claimed that the killing “represents a senseless attack on democracy itself.” BBC notes that the man in question is a British national of Somali descent.
Amess was conducting a constituency surgery, a series of one-on-one meetings that an MP may have with their constituents, at the time of the stabbing. This is the second time in the last five years that this has happened, the other time being when Labour MP Jo Cox was killed in 2016. After Cox’s death, Parliament exponentially increased funds to provide security services for MPs during constituency surgeries, Amess’s death has again sparked efforts to increase security. The BBC adds that one member of the cabinet said, "everyone has had a threat, everyone has had frightening moments." Currently, MPs have plenty of security when they are in Parliament, protected by specialist armed police. However, this same security is absent when they are doing constituency surgeries.
Described as “kind and thoughtful” and “such a gentleman” by the people, many have expressed their sadness and condolences to Amess’s family. He leaves behind a wife and five children.
Father Woolnough explained, "he carried that great east London spirit of having no fear and being able to talk to people and the level they're at. Not all politicians, I would say, are good at that."
