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

Jeremy Corbyn declines to call Zarah Sultana a friend as Your Party holds first conference

Published

42 mins ago

November 29, 2025

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Jeremy Corbyn declines to call Zarah Sultana a friend as Your Party holds first conference

Jeremy Corbyn has declined to say his Your Party co-founder Zarah Sultana is a friend as supporters of the new grouping gather in Liverpool.

Speaking to Sky News on the eve of the conference, Mr Corbyn acknowledged “stresses and strains” in the set-up of the party but said it had become “a lot better in the last few days and weeks and we’re going to get through this weekend”.

The former Labour leader has publicly clashed with Ms Sultana, the MP for Coventry South, over the launch and structure of the new party.

Asked if they were friends, Mr Corbyn said they were “colleagues in parliament, and we obviously communicate and so on”.

The pair appeared at separate events on the eve of the party’s inaugural gathering.

Ms Sultana had previously claimed she was being “sidelined” by a “sexist boys’ club” within the fledgling party.

Mr Corbyn said her comments were an “unfortunate choice of words” but added that he had been more involved in the organisation of the conference than she had.

The Islington North MP also said that Your Party was still waiting for Ms Sultana to transfer all of the funds she had raised from supporters.

“Obviously having money up front for a conference is a big help,” he said.

Ms Sultana has insisted she is transferring the donations in stages.

The weekend gathering in Liverpool will see supporters choose between four options for a permanent party name: Your Party, Our Party, Popular Alliance, For the Many.

The preferred choice of Ms Sultana – The Left – did not make the ballot.

Similarly, the Coventry MP had said she favoured a co-leader approach, but members will only be able to pick between single leadership or collective leadership models.

Speaking at her own pre-conference rally, Ms Sultana blamed a “nameless, faceless bureaucrat” for restricting the choices.

The meeting also risked being disrupted by a series of member expulsions. One of those ejected, Lewis Nielsen, accused a “clique” of trying to “take over”.

Your Party sources said expulsions related to members of the Socialist Workers Party and that holding another national party membership was not allowed.

Ms Sultana blamed a “culture of paranoia at the top” and said she believed the same people who had been briefing against her were now also expelling members.

Mr Corbyn will open the conference on Saturday, while the results of the main decision-making votes will be announced on Sunday.

Politics

Your Party co-founder Zarah Sultana refuses to enter group’s conference hall

Published

2 hours ago

November 29, 2025

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Your Party co-founder Zarah Sultana refuses to enter group's conference hall

Zarah Sultana has boycotted day one of the Your Party Conference over the expulsion of members of left-wing groups.

Ms Sultana co-founded Your Party with Jeremy Corbyn in July, but the new movement has been marred with infighting from the outset.

There was a row on the eve of conference after it emerged members of the Socialist Workers Party (SWP) had been expelled from Your Party, as its rules do not permit dual membership.

But a spokesperson for Ms Sultana branded this a “witch hunt” and said she won’t be returning until her speech tomorrow.

She said: “Zarah met members outside the conference and condemned the recent expulsions. This witch hunt is indefensible. We must build a party that welcomes all socialists. She will not be entering the conference hall today.”

Members of the SWP argue dual membership should be allowed as the SWP doesn’t field election candidates.

Lewis Nieslon, SWP’s national secretary, was expelled on Friday as he was on his way to Liverpool.

He told Sky News: “With far right Reform UK topping the polls and Starmer paving the way for them, we urgently need a new party that unites the whole left.

“It’s wrong for those at the top of Your Party to turn fire on socialists like us who have been key to building Your Party on the ground, and are determined to make it the insurgent, inspiring force it can be.”

Members of the left-wing organisation Counterfire have also been banned from conference, Sky News has learned.

Cllr Michael Lavalette, who helped set up Your Party’s Preston branch, told Sky News earlier this morning that he was not allowed to enter the venue today.

He said he was told there is intelligence Counterfire was going to be disruptive, which he said is “simply not true”.

“Counterfire is a very pro-Your Party organisation so I am not sure where that has come from”, he said.

He said he has been told the intelligence will be shared with him which “will be interesting to see because I’ve never said anything disruptive, I’ve been encouraging people to come”.

Ms Sultana has been advocating for what she calls “maximum member democracy” and believes anyone who is a socialist should be allowed in Your Party.

Her allies see the expulsions as an attempt to purge those supportive of her. There are many grassroots left wing groups who want Your Party to be led by members rather than a single MP, a position Ms Sultana supports.

However a Your Party spokesperson said claims of a purge are “false”.

They said: “Members of another national political party signed up to Your Party in contravention of clearly-stated membership rules – and these rules were enforced.

They added: “We’re focused on hosting a democratic founding conference with thousands of members coming together to debate and decide the big issues. This is politics outside the Westminster mold: from the ground up, not the top down.”

Ms Sultana was not due to address the conference today with her speech coming on Sunday afternoon. A source close to her said she was “very much looking forward to it”.

They added that it was an “interesting” choice of programming, giving voting on the party’s key issues – including whether dual membership should be allowed – will be closed by the time she gives her keynote address, unlike Mr Corbyn who spoke this morning.

Ms Sultana was not involved in organising the conference and claims she was frozen out of the process.

But those in Mr Corbyn’s camp claim she froze herself out when she quit the independent alliance (IA), the group of independent MPs and volunteers close to the former Labour leader, who have been stewarding the party’s founding process leading up to the conference this weekend.

Ms Sultana previously accused that group of being a “sexist boys club”, in a major row in September that saw her launch an unauthorised membership portal.

Your Party has also faced clashes over its name, its finances, its policy positions – with this conference aimed at turning over a new page and convincing voters it can get fighting fit by the local elections in May.

But deep tensions remain between the two camps – those close to Mr Corbyn and those close to Ms Sultana.

On Friday, Mr Corbyn declined to say Ms Sultana is a friend.

Speaking to Sky News on the eve of the conference, Mr Corbyn acknowledged “stresses and strains” in the set-up of the party but said it had become “a lot better in the last few days and weeks and we’re going to get through this weekend”.

Asked if they were friends, Mr Corbyn said they were “colleagues in parliament, and we obviously communicate and so on”.

The pair appeared at separate events on the eve of the party’s inaugural gathering.

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Politics

Jeremy Corbyn declines to call Zarah Sultana a friend as Your Party holds first conference

Published

4 hours ago