Daily Mirror (Northern Ireland)
TEARS AS MP
HUNDREDS of mourners lined the streets to pay their respects to murdered MP Sir David Amess yesterday as his family issued a message of peace.
Sir David’s hometown of Southend – now granted city status in his honour – was brought to a standstill as a horse-drawn hearse carrying his Union Flag-draped coffin passed through.
The father-of-five was stabbed to death in a suspected terror attack last month in the Essex constituency he had served for 24 years.
At his funeral, his friend and former Tory colleague Ann Widdecombe read a statement from his family urging people to “set aside their differences and show kindness and love to all”.
They added: “This is the only way forward. Set aside hatred and work towards togetherness. Whatever one’s race, religious or political beliefs, be tolerant and try to understand.
“As a family, we are trying to understand why this awful thing has occurred. Nobody should die in that way. Please let some good come from this tragedy.
“We are absolutely broken, but we will survive and carry on for the sake of a wonderful and inspiring man.”
Set aside hatred and work towards togetherness...be tolerant and try to understand SIR DAVID’S FAMILY IN MESSAGE OF PEACE READ OUT AT HIS FUNERAL
SERVED
Tory MP Sir David, 69, was killed on October 15 while holding a surgery in Leigh-on-sea, part of his Southend West constituency. He was the ninth MP to die in office, having served a total of 38 years as a parliamentarian.
His coffin arrived at St Mary’s Church in Prittlewell shortly before 1pm yesterday to the tolling of bells. The watching crowds fell silent, with heads bowed, as the six pallbearers, all local firemen, shouldered the casket.
But as the procession reached the doors of the church there was a spontaneous ripple of applause for the campaigning MP who had served the community with such dedication.
The church was packed with family and friends but a loudspeaker allowed the hundreds of well-wishers outside to hear the service.
A powerful eulogy was delivered by another of Sir David’s friends, Conservative MP Mark Francois, who described his late colleague as “the original Essex cheeky chappy
[with] more front
than Brighton”. He added: “He promoted too many charities to mention, assisted tens of thousand of constituents with their problems and undertook literally thousands of constituency engagements over four decades of dedicated, selfless, public service.
“David was a bit of a legend really… The David Amess I knew never yielded on an important point of principal to
anyone and so neither shall we. Despite this awful tragedy, we are going to keep calm and carry on because I earnestly believe that is exactly what he would have wanted us to do…
“Whatever the weaknesses of Parliament, David Amess was the living embodiment of all its strengths. He really was quite literally a ‘jolly good fellow’ – and so, I am sure, say all of us.”
As the church cleared the choir sang We’ll Meet Again by Dame Vera Lynn – Sir David launched a campaign earlier this year for a permanent memorial to the wartime singer.
After the service his casket was carried through Southend on a hearse drawn by four black horses, led by motorcycle outriders from Essex Police.
Other officers, including some of those who responded to initial reports of the stabbing, lined the streets as a mark of respect for the MP, whose campaigns included a long-standing demand that Southend become a city.
Hundreds of onlookers walked alongside as the procession made its way down Victoria Avenue to Southend Civic Centre. There was another round of applause from the gathered crowd before the funeral director said: “On behalf of Lady Amess and the family, thank you very much.” A requiem mass will be held for the devout Catholic at Westminster Cathedral in Central London today, with a message from the Pope. Mr Francois has said that Sir David’s widow, Lady Julia, wanted two services to be held in his memory.
He said: “She wanted to have one in Southend so that the town could grieve and pay its respects. And then because David was a staunch Catholic – his faith was immensely important to him, as were his family and his constituents – there will be a full requiem mass at Westminster Cathedral.”
Sir David’s family have asked mourners to donate to the charities he supported, including the Dog’s Trust, the Music Man Project, Prost8 and Endometriosis UK, instead of sending floral tributes.
Ali Harbi Ali, 25, has been charged with Sir David’s murder and preparation of terrorist acts in connection with the incident and is due to stand trial next year.