Who was David Amess?

British MP David Amess died after he was stabbed several times by a man during his constituency meeting at a church in eastern England on Friday. The suspect has been taken into custody.

The 69-year-old, who as a member of Parliament (MP) from UK’s Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s Conservative Party, was holding a surgery with locals at Belfairs Methodist Church when he was attacked. 

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Essex Police confirmed that officers arrived on scene shortly after 12.05 pm and rushed the MP to the hospital where he succumbed to injuries. Cops took the suspect into custody and recovered the weapon from him. 

“We are not looking for anyone else in connection with the incident and do not believe there is an ongoing threat to the wider public,” police said in a statement. 

Who was David Amess?

Born on March 26, 1952, in Essex, Amess earned a bachelor’s degree in economics and government. He taught at a school for a year (1970–71), before becoming a recruitment consultant contesting the Labour Party seat of Newham North West in the 1979 general election. Three years later, he was elected as a councillor to the London Borough of Redbridge.

He contested the Basildon seat in the 1983 general election and got elected to the Member of Parliament of Basildon. He went on to retain the seat in the next two general elections. In 1995, he was selected for Southend West and has since been a MP for the constituency. 

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In 2000, Amess introduced the Warm Homes and Energy Conservation Act, which he said came to fruition after he was drawn out of the Private Members Ballot. The Act required the Secretary of State to “publish and implement a strategy for reducing fuel poverty”. This was his most publicised legislative success 

Amess also served on the Health Select Committee from 1998 until 2007.

According to his website, his main interests are “animal welfare and pro-life issues.”