Senseless act mustn’t thwart our democracy

SIR David Amess was a Parliamentary rarity. In an increasingly fractious, divided and intolerant era, the Tory MP was respected across the political spectrum.

An assiduous politician, he was kindhearted, thoroughly decent and, driven by an unwavering sense of public duty, committed to his job – striving tirelessly to improve the lives of his constituents.

Which is why his horrific murder yesterday is so utterly shocking and senseless.

For Sir David to be struck down by a knifeman – in a church of all places – while carrying out a seemingly mundane constituency surgery is doubly chilling.

Away from the pomp and all too frequent pomposity of Parliament, these occasions are the nuts and bolts of politics, the oil that makes democracy’s wheels turn. It is where voters can raise concerns about every issue and injustice – from gangs of antisocial yobs who are terrorising a community to the location of a new park bench.

For centuries, constituency surgeries have served as a vital part of our democracy, a time-honoured link between voter and politician which makes the UK one of the most free places to live on Earth.

That somebody chose to abuse this privilege threatens us all. Make no mistake: An attack on our elected representatives is an assault on democracy itself.

Indeed, it is even more fundamental than that. When someone attacks an MP, it is an attack on the voice of every single person in this country.

Sir David’s murder is a terrible reminder of the risks all our elected representatives face. Five years ago Labour’s Jo Cox was murdered in her West Yorkshire constituency by a Right-wing extremist.

And in 2010, former Labour Minister Stephen Timms was stabbed during a constituency surgery.