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LAST UPDATE | 16 Oct 2021
HUNDREDS OF PEOPLE attended a candlelit vigil in memory of MP David Amess, who was stabbed to death while meeting constituents.
Crowds carrying lanterns and candles gathered in darkness at Belfairs sports ground in Leigh-on-Sea in Essex on Saturday to honour David, who was killed the day before.
The field is where an air ambulance had landed on Friday, as paramedics tried in vain to save the father-of-five at the nearby Belfairs Methodist Church.
At the vigil, Southend councillor Alan Dear addressed those gathered in a circle around dozens of glowing candles on the grass.
“For me, and I know for all of you because you’re here, it’s been a terrible 24 hours for all of us,” he said.
He went on: “For me, (David) was a good friend, and I know he was a good friend to all of you here.
“He spent 40 years of his life caring for the constituents of Basildon and Southend. He was a very kind, loving, gentle man.”
‘Will not be cowed’
The British Home Secretary earlier said that politicians will not be “cowed” following the fatal stabbing of MP David Amess, which police believe may be linked to Islamist extremism.
Priti Patel visited the scene at Belfairs Methodist Church in Leigh-on-Sea on Saturday morning alongside Prime Minister Boris Johnson, Labour leader Keir Starmer and Commons Speaker Lindsay Hoyle to pay their respects to David, less than 24 hours after he was killed at a constituency surgery.
Patel said security measures were being put in place to protect MPs but vowed they will carry on serving the country unimpeded in the face of the attack, which the Metropolitan Police have declared was a terrorist incident.
Speaking at Southend Police Station, the Home Secretary said: “We will carry on, we live in an open society, a democracy. We cannot be cowed by any individual or any motivation… to stop us from functioning, to serve our elected democracy.”
Asked whether there could be a balance between the safety of MPs and the democratic process, she said: “It can be balanced, it can absolutely be balanced.”
‘Most fundamental act of a politician’
President of Ireland Michael D Higgins paid tribute to Amess earlier today, saying that he had been “murdered while carrying out that most fundamental act of a politician, meeting with his constituents” and assisting them.
“May I express my deepest sympathies to the family, friends, colleagues in Parliament and constituents of Sir David Amess,” he said, “All of those who value representative politics will think also today of the family of the late Jo Cox, who was taken from her family in June 2016.
“I know that all those who serve the people of the United Kingdom will have been deeply affected by these two murders and on behalf of the Irish people, I send them our deepest sympathies.”
British Prime Minister Boris Johnson laid flowers at the scene of the fatal stabbing earlier. of MP David Amess, which police believe could be linked to Islamist extremism.
Johnson, accompanied by Labour leader Keir Starmer, Commons Speaker Lindsay Hoyle and Patel, laid a wreath at the front of Belfairs Methodist Church in Leigh-on-Sea, where Amess was killed.
It came after Scotland Yard said the country’s most senior counter-terror officer, Deputy Assistant Commissioner Dean Haydon, has formally declared the incident as terrorism and said early investigations have revealed “a potential motivation linked to Islamist extremism”.
Amess, 69, who had been an MP since 1983, was fatally injured while meeting constituents.
A 25-year-old man arrested at the scene on suspicion of murder is in custody at an Essex police station.
Official sources told the PA news agency the man is believed to be a British national with Somali heritage.
As part of the investigation, officers are also carrying out searches at two addresses in the London area, the Met said.
Amess’ death has prompted police forces to contact all MPs to discuss their security and personal safety.
Veteran Labour MP Harriet Harman said she will be writing to the Prime Minister asking him to back a Speaker’s Conference to review the safety of parliamentarians.
Tory MP Tobias Ellwood, who was hailed as a hero for his attempts to save the life of Pc Keith Palmer during the Westminster terror attack, said face-to-face meetings with MPs should be paused until a security review has been completed.
Investigators believe Amess’ killer acted alone and are not seeking anyone else in connection with his death.
According to reports, the knifeman was waiting among a group of people to see Amess at the church and launched the attack shortly after the MP arrived.
Local councillor John Lamb, who arrived at the scene shortly after the incident, told the Daily Mail Amess was with two female members of staff – one from his constituency office and one from his parliamentary office – when a man “literally got a knife out and just began stabbing him”.
Chief Constable of Essex Police Ben-Julian Harrington said the Southend West MP was “simply dispensing his duties when his life was horrifically cut short”.
Tory veteran Amess, who was described by Johnson as “one of the kindest, nicest, most gentle people in politics” was married with five children.
The attack came five-and-a-half years after Labour MP Jo Cox was killed by a far-right extremist in her Batley and Spen constituency in West Yorkshire.
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Jeez, summit fever must have got to him to push on without her. Lower oxygen levels in death zone can’t have helped with rational decision making either.
To be fair she may have just seemed tired. Cerebral oedema affects individuals in different ways, and the onset of the first symptoms is sometimes mistaken for tiredness or a minor illness. She may have looked OK and made a good decision to halt her ascent – there may have been no apparent reason for him to abort too.
“didn’t mean anything to me” that’s what you call the ultimate regret
“It seems that people have this warped idea of vegans being malnourished and weak,” Strydom was quoted as saying.
By climbing the seven summits we want to prove that vegans can do anything and more.”
And now she’s dead…that didn’t really work out too well for the aul vegan crusade they were after and this gobshïte is still bangin on about it, some things are best left unsaid…maybe a steak sandwich might’ve got her top and back.
You are a knob. End of.
If you put down your sandwich and actually read the article you’d see that quote is from her before they started the challenge.
And if you picked your beard out of your face you’d see the second half of the comment
What second half? “This g*bshite is still banging on about it”. The vegan quote is from the lady who died.
Very insensitive the man has lost his wife. You have no class
Vegans can speak after the die ???
He lost his wife taking a huge risk, for what?
She got Ill climbing the world’s most dangerous peak,in the area known as the death zone,what is he confused about?
I imagine He is confused because he lost (quite possibly) the love of his life. That kind of loss, no matter what the circumstances, is confusing when you are lost in grief. No doubt they both prepared for the trip, never thinking that either one would die. My thoughts are with him and her family.
I’m sorry to detract from this man’s loss or the article in question but that’s an amazing picture of Everest.
It’s a pity there was no finer crusade, cause or endeavour they could have chosen – No unfortunate people they could have decided to help out or aid in some manner. No they had to climb a mountain in the noble defence of the physical attributes and potency of people who have chosen to be Vegans. Sorry now but what a massive loss to humanity.
Run a marathon if you want to punish yourself.
Go help at an old peoples home or volunteer at a homeless shelter if you want to help people
Mountains take too many lives, you never get answers. That man has my sincerest sympathy.
Sooo does that mean vegans are weak then?
I was privileged to meet two sherpa brothers a few months ago who hold the record for the most times to climb Everest. Tough tough men, I’d never understand what it takes to climb Everest and the effects on the body but it’s unimaginable for me that if I did I’d leave my wife to continue on alone. That would haunt me forever.
Very sad :(
If you suspect someone has altitude sickness, you descend immediately. If reaching the summit meant nothing why did he do it?
Her time was up, simple as that, everybody dies so it shouldn’t come as a suprise,we’re all just a heartbeat away , enjoy it while u can
The story reminds me of the tower of babloyn in the Bible ,when people believed they could reach the highest peak to touch God an so built it ,until God changed there languages untill they became so confused ,they couldn’t go higher . so God was showing people they could not live by bread , human communication alone ,but by every word that comes from God ,food that is neither steak or vegetables .I think this man is only starting a climb of a life time ,the way he talks of it ,I feel sorry for him.He really did love her , but they choose there fate on that Lowe peak an it was a choice they both agreed onn wat I learn is choices decisions mwy seem good an right , but could be way off regarding a person’s health well been even if we think it’s the right choice .an sometim s the wrong choice can be the right one ,only God knows why he took her .an he is left with a mountain climb with a twist
Oh right, so twas god that took her. OK then.
Allow the woman the dignity of her own volition. She chose this endeavour and its risks. She died because of oxygen starvation to the brain and organs, most likely, not because some myth ‘took her’ for reasons unknown.
I hope her husband finds a way through this grief and gets back to family and friends for some solid support.
God didn’t take her cause God doesn’t exist. But he probably would red thumb you if he could.
have your say