SUPPORT OUR JOURNALISM: Please consider donating to keep our website running and free for all - thank you!

Features

BREAKING: The Queen to grant Southend-on-Sea with city status in tribute to killed MP Sir David Amess

The Queen has agreed to grant Southend-on-Sea with city status in tribute to the constituency’s long-serving MP, Sir Davis Amess.

Announcing the news in the House of Commons chamber, Prime Minister Boris Johnson said that he had spoken to Her Majesty, and that she has agreed to make upgrade the large coastal town to a city.

Sir David Amess was killed on Friday afternoon during a meeting with his constituents in Southend.

Sir David Amess (Photo: Richard Townshend • CC BY 3.0)

He was stabbed multiple times, and despite the best efforts of the emergency services, he died at the scene.

A 25-year-old man has been arrested on suspicion of murder, and has further been held under the Terrorism Act.

Sir David is the second MP to be killed in the space of five years following the murder of Jo Cox in 2016.

The 69-year-old was the MP for Basildon from 1987 to 1997, then going on to represent Southend West from 1997 until his death last week.

For the past 25 years, Sir David has passionately campaigned for his hometown to be granted city status. 

There was barely a day that went by in Parliament where he did not ask the government to consider upgrading Southend from town to city.