Southend to become a city in honour of Sir David Amess – PM makes announcement as he leads tributes to killed MP

Published

4 years ago

October 18, 2021

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Prime Minister Boris Johnson has told MPs that Southend-on-Sea will be given city status – a long-running campaign of Sir David Amess – as he led tributes to the murdered MP.

Mr Johnson described Sir David as a “steadfast servant” of the House of Commons, a “prodigious campaigner” for his chosen causes, and a “dear friend and colleague”.

The 69-year-old was “one of the nicest, kindest, and most gentle individuals ever to grace” the Commons benches, the prime minister added as he opened MPs’ tributes to the late Southend West MP on Monday.

MPs share fond memories of murdered colleague – live updates as Queen grants Sir David Amess’s campaign wish

“Sir David was taken from us in a contemptible act of violence, striking at the core of what it is to be a member of this House,” Mr Johnson said.

The prime minister also remembered the MP’s enduring efforts to secure city status for his constituency, which were a frequent feature of his interventions in the Commons.

“He never once witnessed any achievement by any resident of Southend that could not, somehow, be cited in his bid to secure city status for that distinguished town,” Mr Johnson said.

“Highlights of that bulging folder included a world record for most triangles being played at once; a group of stilt-walkers travelling non-stop from the Essex coast to Downing Street; and a visiting foreign dignitary allegedly flouting protocol by saying he liked Southend more than Cleethorpes.

“A compelling case and, as it is only a short time since Sir David last put that case to me in this chamber, I am happy to announce that Her Majesty has agreed that Southend will be accorded the city status it so clearly deserves.”

Sir David “was not a man in awe of this chamber, nor a man who sought patronage or advancement”, but “simply wanted to serve the people of Essex”, the prime minister said.

He added: “This country needs people like Sir David, this House needs people like Sir David, our politics needs people like Sir David.

“Dedicated, passionate, firm in his beliefs but never anything less than respectful for those who thought differently.”

Sir David was stabbed to death on Friday as he held a constituency surgery – where MPs’ offer face-to-face meetings with constituents – at Belfairs Methodist Church in Leigh-on-Sea, Essex.

A 25-year-old man, who Sky News understands is Ali Harbi Ali, was arrested at the scene of the attack on suspicion of murder.

Speaking in the Commons on Monday, Mr Johnson vowed that “we will never allow those who commit acts of evil to triumph over the democracy and the parliament that Sir David Amess loved so much”.

Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer echoed the prime minister’s words as he urged MPs to ensure that “the hatred that took Sir David’s life will never win”.

“Even as a political opponent he was a man and a politician we could all learn much from,” Sir Keir said.

“I use that phrase – ‘political opponent’ – very deliberately. Because David held his beliefs passionately but gently.

“I believe that not only can we learn from that but that we have a duty to do so. Civility in politics matters.”

Labour MP Stephen Timms, who himself was stabbed at a constituency surgery in 2010, said of Sir David’s killing that the Commons would “rightly reflect on what more we can do to stop that happening again”.

“I wonder if we might ask the police to review our appointment lists ahead of each surgery, for example,” he said.

“But we mustn’t give up on the accessibility of MPs. If we do, the sponsors of those who attacked David and who attacked me will have succeeded. That must not happen.”

Kim Leadbeater, the sister of murdered MP Jo Cox and who now sits in the House of Commons herself, said: “Today is about David and his family, along with his staff, colleagues and community he served so well, the service he gave and the support we should show all of them in the coming days, weeks and months.

“It is up to us to make sure that we do because I know more than most that they will need it and the powerful difference that it will make to them.”

Two of the most emotional tributes to Sir David came from his parliamentary neighbours and Conservative colleagues; Rayleigh and Wickford MP Mark Francois, and Rochford and Southend East MP James Duddridge.

Mr Francois described Sir David as his “best and oldest friend in politics” and, as his voice cracked with emotion, as “quite simply the best bloke I ever knew”.

He also proposed “David’s law” to crackdown on abuse of politicians on social media, especially from anonymous users.

Mr Francois told MPs that Sir David “was appalled by what he called the vile misogynistic abuse which female MPs had to endure online and he told me very recently that he wanted something done about it”.

Mr Duddridge described to MPs a story of how Sir David, a Catholic, once accidentally had a boiled sweet blessed by the Pope.

He also thanked the prime minister for announcing that Southend will be made a city, saying “it means a lot to everybody, it really does”.

Prior to the tributes from MPs, a minute’s silence was held in honour of Sir David in both the Commons and House of Lords.

Commons Speaker Sir Lindsay Hoyle described the circumstances of the MP’s death as “despicable”.

And he added they “raise the most fundamental issues about how members of this House are able to perform their vital democratic responsibilities safely and securely”.

“I give the House my undertaking I will do everything in my power to ensure that these issues are treated with urgency and with the sense of priority that they deserve,” Sir Lindsay told MPs.

Home Secretary Priti Patel said that a review of MPs’ security, in the wake of Sir David’s killing, would be concluded “over the next few days”.

On Monday evening, Mr Johnson and Sir Keir led a procession of MPs from the Commons to St Margaret’s Church, beside Westminster Abbey, for a service of remembrance for Sir David.

It was due to include a reading by Sir Lindsay and an address by the Archbishop of Canterbury, Justin Welby.

Politics

IRS appoints Trish Turner to head crypto division amid resignations

Published

4 hours ago

May 6, 2025

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IRS appoints Trish Turner to head crypto division amid resignations

Veteran US Internal Revenue Service (IRS) official Trish Turner was appointed to lead the agency’s digital assets division following the departure of two key crypto-focused executives.

Turner, who has spent over 20 years at the IRS and most recently served as a senior adviser within the Digital Assets Office, will now head the unit, according to a report from Bloomberg Tax citing a person familiar with the situation.

Her promotion marks a significant leadership transition at a time when US crypto tax enforcement is facing both internal and external pressures.

On May 5, Sulolit “Raj” Mukherjee and Seth Wilks, two private-sector experts brought in to lead the IRS’s crypto unit, exited after roughly a year in their roles.

Mukherjee served as compliance and implementation executive director, while Wilks oversaw strategy and development. Wilks announced his departure on LinkedIn, while Mukherjee confirmed his decision in a statement to Bloomberg Tax.

“The reality is that federal employees have faced a very difficult environment over the past few months,” Wilks wrote. “If stepping aside helps preserve someone else’s job, then I am at peace with the decision.”

IRS ramps up crypto scrutiny

The IRS has ramped up its focus on cryptocurrency in recent years, increasing audits and criminal probes targeting digital asset transactions.

It also attempted to introduce broad crypto broker reporting requirements, which drew sharp criticism from industry stakeholders and was eventually overturned by President Donald Trump.

Set to take effect in 2027, the so-called IRS DeFi broker rule would have expanded the tax authority’s existing reporting requirements to include DeFi platforms, requiring them to disclose gross proceeds from crypto sales, including information regarding taxpayers involved in the transactions.

Turner’s leadership also comes during a shift in Washington’s approach to crypto regulation.

With the return of the Trump administration in January, federal agencies have scaled back regulations perceived as burdensome to digital asset innovation.

For instance, the Securities and Exchange Commission has dropped or paused over a dozen enforcement cases against crypto companies. Additionally, the Department of Justice has announced the dissolution of its cryptocurrency enforcement unit, signaling a softer approach to the sector.

Internally, the IRS is also navigating instability. Over 23,000 employees have reportedly expressed interest in resigning after Trump reintroduced a deferred resignation policy, raising concerns about long-term staffing and morale within the agency.

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Politics

OKX exec warns against hype amid real-world asset tokenization boom

Published

5 hours ago

May 6, 2025

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OKX exec warns against hype amid real-world asset tokenization boom

The CEO of crypto exchange OKX’s Middle East and North Africa (MENA) division has called on the industry to prioritize real-world utility as interest in tokenizing real-world assets (RWAs) continues to grow.

In a Cointelegraph interview at the Token20249 event in Dubai, OKX MENA CEO Rifad Mahasneh warned that while tokenization is promising, projects must “clearly demonstrate” the benefits of tokenizing specific assets.

“In some cases, we’re tokenizing things that don’t need tokenization, but in some cases, we’re tokenizing things that actually give you real, everyday value, right? And if you can see that everyday value, then that is a promising project,” Mahasneh told Cointelegraph.

He said hype can drive project growth in the Web3 space, but providing everyday value should be the priority.

RWA tokenization gains traction in the UAE

Mahasneh’s comments come amid an increase in real-world asset tokenization projects in the Middle East, including the United Arab Emirates.

On May 1, MultiBank Group signed a $3 billion RWA agreement with the UAE-based real-estate firm MAG and blockchain infrastructure provider Mavryk — the largest RWA initiative worldwide to date.

In addition to billions in RWA deals, the UAE government has started working on RWA tokenization. On March 19, the Dubai Land Department — the government agency responsible for promoting, organizing and registering real estate in Dubai — announced a pilot phase of its real-estate tokenization project. The agency is working with Dubai’s Virtual Assets Regulatory Authority (VARA), the emirate’s crypto regulator.

On Jan. 9, RWA project Mantra also signed a $1 billion deal with Damac Group to tokenize the assets of the UAE-based conglomerate. However, months later, Mantra saw one of the biggest token collapses in crypto history, wiping out billions in market capitalization on April 13.

Mahasneh told Cointelegraph that the region’s clear regulations help drive bigger institutions to get into tokenization and crypto. He said regulatory clarity allows understanding of how key players in the space, like exchanges, are governed.

UAE stablecoin framework gives institutions confidence

The executive also praised the region’s progress in stablecoin regulations. In June 2024, the Central Bank of the UAE approved a regulatory framework for stablecoin licensing. This clarified the issuance, supervision and licensing of dirham-backed payment tokens.

According to Mahasneh, this demonstrates the UAE’s speed in regulating crypto-related technologies. The executive also highlighted that the central bank’s involvement gives institutions extra confidence in entering the business.

“Other markets are still debating whether they should have crypto regulations. Here, we moved into developing stablecoin regulations. For an investor, you want to know that your stablecoin is regulated. That’s a big plus,” Mahasneh said.

Since then, major players like Tether have joined the race by issuing a dirham-pegged stablecoin. On April 29, institutions like Abu Dhabi’s sovereign wealth fund, the Abu Dhabi Developmental Holding Company (ADQ), First Abu Dhabi Bank and the International Holding Company partnered to launch a dirham-pegged stablecoin, pending regulatory approval.

Magazine: Crypto wanted to overthrow banks, now it’s becoming them in stablecoin fight

Politics

US Senate crypto bills stall amid Trump ties and ethics concerns

Published

6 hours ago

May 6, 2025

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US Senate crypto bills stall amid Trump ties and ethics concerns

Efforts to pass crypto legislation in the US Senate face mounting resistance amid growing ethical concerns around US President Donald Trump’s ties to crypto.

In a May 5 letter to the Office of Government Ethics, Senators Elizabeth Warren and Jeff Merkley said that Trump and his family stand to personally profit from an investment involving UAE state-backed firm MGX, crypto exchange Binance and World Liberty Financial (WLFI).

The senators called for an urgent probe, warning the deal may violate the US Constitution’s Emoluments Clause and federal bribery statutes.

At the center of the controversy is WLFI’s USD1 stablecoin, reportedly chosen for a $2 billion investment MGX plans to make into Binance.

The senators said the transaction amounts to a potential backdoor for foreign influence and self-enrichment, with Trump’s allies allegedly set to receive hundreds of millions of dollars:

“This deal raises the troubling prospect that the Trump and Witkoff families could expand the use of their stablecoin as an avenue to profit from foreign corruption.”

Further complicating ethics concerns, Trump hosted a $1.5 million-per-plate dinner on May 5 at his golf club in Sterling, Virginia. The event came just days after hosting a $1 million-per-plate fundraiser for the MAGA super PAC.

He also plans to hold a gala dinner with major Official Trump (TRUMP) memecoin holders on May 22, despite multiple US lawmakers expressing concerns.

GENIUS Act faces roadblocks

The Trump family’s controversial $2 billion crypto deal comes as the Senate prepares to vote on the Guiding and Establishing National Innovation for US Stablecoins (GENIUS) Act and other crypto-related bills.

The fallout is already being felt in Congress. Some Democratic lawmakers are pushing for additional hearings before advancing any legislation, while others question whether Trump’s personal stake in digital assets is undermining bipartisan support for crypto regulation.

On May 5, Senate Majority Leader John Thune signaled a willingness to amend the GOP-backed stablecoin legislation to pass the bill in the coming weeks.

Speaking to reporters, Thune said changes can be made on the floor and that he is waiting to hear what Democrats are asking for, per a report from Politico.

Internal GOP challenges also remain, with Senator Rand Paul expressing uncertainty about backing the bill, according to the report.

The stalling isn’t limited to the Senate. House Financial Services Committee ranking member Representative Maxine Waters plans to block a Republican-led event discussing digital assets on May 6.

The hearing, “American Innovation and the Future of Digital Assets,” will discuss a new crypto markets draft discussion paper pitched by the House agricultural and financial services committee chairs, Representatives Glenn Thompson and French Hill, respectively.

Crypto community slams political pushback

Prominent crypto figures are speaking out as political resistance threatens to derail stablecoin legislation in the Senate.

“Elizabeth Warren and Chuck Schumer haven’t learned their lesson,” Tyler Winklevoss, co-founder of Gemini, posted on X.

“If they want Democrats to continue losing elections, they will continue standing in front of crypto legislation like the stablecoin bill which they are stalling out in the Senate.”