Boris Johnson has joined MPs and others in paying tribute to Sir David Amess, with several stressing the importance of focusing on the Conservative backbencher’s life and work rather than the deeds of his murderer. In a tweeted statement, Johnson called Amess, who was killed last October by Ali Harbi Ali in an Islamist-inspired terrorist attack, “a beloved colleague, public servant and friend who championed the city of Southend in everything he did”, saying his thoughts were with Amess’s family. Ali was convicted at the Old Bailey on Monday of the terrorist assassination of Amess and is due to be sentenced on Wednesday. The Commons Speaker, Sir Lindsay Hoyle, said that after a distressing trial, the verdict “gives an opportunity to reflect on David’s legacy – as a man devoted to his family, to parliament and his Southend West constituency”. Hoyle added: “He was well liked by all and during his almost four decades as an MP he built a reputation for kindness and generosity.”
Responding to the verdict, the work and pensions secretary, Thérèse Coffey, tweeted: “Good. Justice delivered though we will never have Sir David back.” Brendan Cox, the widower of Jo Cox, the Labour MP murdered by a far-right terrorist in 2016, said Ali’s actions would achieve nothing. “Like the killing of Jo, all it has achieved politically has been to allow millions of people to learn about David’s decency and the causes he cared about,” Cox sad. “The terrorist will rot in jail and die in ignominy. David’s name will be remembered, especially by the people of Southend who he served. “Terrorists may cite different ideologies. But what unites them is their desire for infamy, their cowardly attacks on the unarmed and the total failure to advance their cause.” The Labour leader, Sir Keir Starmer, added to the tributes, calling Amess “a champion of Southend and of his constituents”. He added: “Threats to our democracy will never prevail.” Priti Patel, the home secretary and a fellow Essex MP, said Amess had been “a kind, compassionate and loyal colleague”. She tweeted: “Today I am thinking of my dear friend Sir David Amess. My thoughts are with him, his family and the people of Southend, a place he devoted his life to serving. He represented the best values of our parliamentary democracy.”
Amess, 69, who had four daughters and a son with his widow, Julia, was a long-serving MP and perpetual backbencher, being first elected for Basildon in 1983 and then for Southend West in 1997. He campaigned passionately on a number of issues, including animal rights and endometriosis, and had pushed – over many years – for Southend to be made a city, something that eventually happened at the start of March. The change to Southend’s status, officially marked with a visit by Prince Charles and Camilla, the Duchess of Cornwall, was made swiftly after Amess’s death in tribute to him. While Amess had some fairly robust rightwing views – he was a staunch Eurosceptic and, as a devout Catholic, opposed abortion rights – he was also happy to work with MPs from other parties, a number of whom paid tribute after the verdict. “Thinking this afternoon about the kindness of David Amess, rather than the hatred of his killer, and sending love to his family, friends and loved ones,” tweeted Labour’s Wes Streeting, the shadow health secretary.