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| David Amess latest: Priti Patel says MPs ‘cannot be cowed by any individual’ | David Amess latest: Priti Patel says MPs ‘cannot be cowed by any individual’ |
| (32 minutes later) | |
| Patel was speaking in Leigh-on-Sea where PM earlier laid wreath at front of Belfairs Methodist church, where Tory MP was fatally stabbed on Friday | Patel was speaking in Leigh-on-Sea where PM earlier laid wreath at front of Belfairs Methodist church, where Tory MP was fatally stabbed on Friday |
| A message from Dr Kieran Mullan, MP for Crewe and Norwich: | |
| The former Labour MP Paula Sheriff has said police laughed at one threat to her life they were called to investigate. | |
| Sheriff, who was MP for Dewsbury between 2015 and 2019, confirmed that the story, related in a tweet by Kirkless councillor Will Simpson, was about her office. | |
| Simpson wrote: “One of the death threats that was made against an MP I was working for and our team was responded to by the police by laughing at the message left. | |
| “They thought the death threat - that we would all be shot - following Jo [Cox] being shot and swastikas being left at our staff door, was witty.” | |
| Quoting Simpson’s tweet, in her own post Sheriff wrote: “This was my office. For now, we mourn our lovely friend, David Amess, but it is patently clear that different Police services offer an inconsistent approach in dealing with threats to MP’s and this must change. Death threats are never funny.” | |
| Appropriately grey skies greeted those who attended the scene of Sir David Amess’s killing on Saturday morning, with dozens of well-wishers arriving at Belfairs Methodist church to leave flowers and otherwise pay their respects. | Appropriately grey skies greeted those who attended the scene of Sir David Amess’s killing on Saturday morning, with dozens of well-wishers arriving at Belfairs Methodist church to leave flowers and otherwise pay their respects. |
| “It’s a very sombre day,” said Robert, 69, who lives in the Belfairs area of Leigh-on-Sea, with his wife, Kay, 68. They said they did not want to give a surname because their son was outside the church at the time of the attack and was traumatised. Robert said of Amess: “He was so charitable, so present in the community: he put in an immense effort to attend all of his surgeries. [He was] just that sort of guy.” | “It’s a very sombre day,” said Robert, 69, who lives in the Belfairs area of Leigh-on-Sea, with his wife, Kay, 68. They said they did not want to give a surname because their son was outside the church at the time of the attack and was traumatised. Robert said of Amess: “He was so charitable, so present in the community: he put in an immense effort to attend all of his surgeries. [He was] just that sort of guy.” |
| The Conservative MP was fatally stabbed while holding a constituency surgery at the church on Friday. His visibility in the community and charity efforts, including on behalf of Belfairs riding school, which provided horse-riding for disabled people, was a recurrent theme in the conversations taking place outside. | The Conservative MP was fatally stabbed while holding a constituency surgery at the church on Friday. His visibility in the community and charity efforts, including on behalf of Belfairs riding school, which provided horse-riding for disabled people, was a recurrent theme in the conversations taking place outside. |
| Amess’s championing of human rights was praised in a tribute left near the scene of the stabbing in Leigh-on-Sea. | Amess’s championing of human rights was praised in a tribute left near the scene of the stabbing in Leigh-on-Sea. |
| The Labour party leader, Sir Keir Starmer, has tweeted a tribute to David Amess today. | The Labour party leader, Sir Keir Starmer, has tweeted a tribute to David Amess today. |
| The Labour MP Naz Shah, who has previously been targeted with racist abuse, said there was “no right or wrong answer” over whether or not MPs should continue holding their surgeries. | The Labour MP Naz Shah, who has previously been targeted with racist abuse, said there was “no right or wrong answer” over whether or not MPs should continue holding their surgeries. |
| Shah, who represents the Bradford West constituency, told PA Media: | Shah, who represents the Bradford West constituency, told PA Media: |
| She added that she had been contacted by officers who are part of Operation Bridger, a nationwide police protective security operation, and they had been “amazing” towards her. | She added that she had been contacted by officers who are part of Operation Bridger, a nationwide police protective security operation, and they had been “amazing” towards her. |
| However, she declined to say what measures were being taken to protect her. | However, she declined to say what measures were being taken to protect her. |
| “For me, the more we talk about what measures we’re taking, the more it raises our risk,” she said. | “For me, the more we talk about what measures we’re taking, the more it raises our risk,” she said. |
| Former minister Chris Skidmore said he has continued to hold face-to-face constituency surgeries despite someone previously being put behind bars for threatening to kill him, PA Media reports. | Former minister Chris Skidmore said he has continued to hold face-to-face constituency surgeries despite someone previously being put behind bars for threatening to kill him, PA Media reports. |
| The Conservative MP for Kingswood in South Gloucestershire said he holds two types of surgeries: one where verified constituents book to see him at his office and a second where he holds drop-in sessions, including at supermarkets where shoppers are invited to talk to their MP over the shop tannoy. | The Conservative MP for Kingswood in South Gloucestershire said he holds two types of surgeries: one where verified constituents book to see him at his office and a second where he holds drop-in sessions, including at supermarkets where shoppers are invited to talk to their MP over the shop tannoy. |
| Skidmore, a former universities minister, said: | Skidmore, a former universities minister, said: |
| PA Media reports that a joint statement from all of Southend’s mosques has condemned the fatal stabbing of David Amess as an “indefensible atrocity”. | PA Media reports that a joint statement from all of Southend’s mosques has condemned the fatal stabbing of David Amess as an “indefensible atrocity”. |
| Faith leaders said the father-of-five was an “upstanding friend to our Muslim community” and attended key events, including weddings, mosque openings and the launch of the town’s first Muslim Scout group. | Faith leaders said the father-of-five was an “upstanding friend to our Muslim community” and attended key events, including weddings, mosque openings and the launch of the town’s first Muslim Scout group. |
| In the statement published on the Essex Jamme Masjid website, on behalf of “all Southend mosques”, they said their thoughts and prayers were with Amess’s family, friends and colleagues. | In the statement published on the Essex Jamme Masjid website, on behalf of “all Southend mosques”, they said their thoughts and prayers were with Amess’s family, friends and colleagues. |
| It read: | It read: |
| The Conservative MP David Davis told Sky News he supports constituents continuing to meet their MPs face-to-face and is against pausing surgeries. | The Conservative MP David Davis told Sky News he supports constituents continuing to meet their MPs face-to-face and is against pausing surgeries. |
| Many floral tributes to Sir David Amess have had personal messages of thanks for the work he did for the community and his support for issues including animal welfare. | Many floral tributes to Sir David Amess have had personal messages of thanks for the work he did for the community and his support for issues including animal welfare. |
| PA Media reports that an Iranian opposition group has paid tribute to Sir David Amess, describing the MP as a “human rights champion” and an “enemy of many dictators”. | PA Media reports that an Iranian opposition group has paid tribute to Sir David Amess, describing the MP as a “human rights champion” and an “enemy of many dictators”. |
| Hossein Abedini was among several members of the National Council of Resistance of Iran who laid flowers and framed photos of Amess near Belfairs Methodist church in Leigh-on-Sea, Essex, where the MP was stabbed to death. | Hossein Abedini was among several members of the National Council of Resistance of Iran who laid flowers and framed photos of Amess near Belfairs Methodist church in Leigh-on-Sea, Essex, where the MP was stabbed to death. |
| Abedini told PA Media: | Abedini told PA Media: |
| As part of this, Amess had recently called on the government to ban Iran’s president, Ebrahim Raisi, a hardline cleric, from attending the Cop26 global climate summit in Glasgow, Abedini said. | As part of this, Amess had recently called on the government to ban Iran’s president, Ebrahim Raisi, a hardline cleric, from attending the Cop26 global climate summit in Glasgow, Abedini said. |
| Yesterday Abedini had paid tribute to Amess. | Yesterday Abedini had paid tribute to Amess. |
| Dr Kieran Mullan, the Conservative MP for Crewe and Nantwich, also held his constituency surgery today. | Dr Kieran Mullan, the Conservative MP for Crewe and Nantwich, also held his constituency surgery today. |
| He tweeted: | He tweeted: |
| Alec Shelbrooke was among the MPs who held constituency surgeries as usual on Saturday. | Alec Shelbrooke was among the MPs who held constituency surgeries as usual on Saturday. |
| The Conservative MP tweeted: | The Conservative MP tweeted: |
| The Conservative MP Theresa Villiers describes the death of Amess as “shocking and appalling” in an interview with Sky News. | The Conservative MP Theresa Villiers describes the death of Amess as “shocking and appalling” in an interview with Sky News. |
| She spoke of his kindness and that it is “such a great loss”. | She spoke of his kindness and that it is “such a great loss”. |
| Villiers added: “He was just very kind. If MPs went through a rough patch he would be the one to be there to be supportive.” | Villiers added: “He was just very kind. If MPs went through a rough patch he would be the one to be there to be supportive.” |
| PA Media reports that MPs have been tweeting about the constituent surgeries they held today. | PA Media reports that MPs have been tweeting about the constituent surgeries they held today. |
| Craig Williams, MP for Montgomeryshire, also held a surgery on Saturday alongside his Conservative colleague from the Welsh parliament, Russell George. | Craig Williams, MP for Montgomeryshire, also held a surgery on Saturday alongside his Conservative colleague from the Welsh parliament, Russell George. |
| Williams tweeted: | Williams tweeted: |
| The Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer has tweeted a tribute today to Sir David Amess. | The Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer has tweeted a tribute today to Sir David Amess. |
| Rev Steve Tinning of the Leigh Road Baptist Church, in Leigh-on-Sea, Essex, who worked extensively with David Amess told the BBC: | Rev Steve Tinning of the Leigh Road Baptist Church, in Leigh-on-Sea, Essex, who worked extensively with David Amess told the BBC: |
| He added: | He added: |
| Amess, Tinning said, had recently won a raffle prize at an event held at his church. | Amess, Tinning said, had recently won a raffle prize at an event held at his church. |
| Benny Wenda, the West Papuan independence leader, has paid tribute to David Amess, who was one of the first MPs to sign a declaration for the territory to be freed from Indonesian rule. | Benny Wenda, the West Papuan independence leader, has paid tribute to David Amess, who was one of the first MPs to sign a declaration for the territory to be freed from Indonesian rule. |