Sir David Amess, a Member of Parliament (MP) for Britain’s governing Conservative Party, has been stabbed multiple times at a constituency surgery, according to reports.
UPDATE: 3:00 p.m.
Essex Police have confirmed that a 25-year-old man has been arrested for murder “after a man was stabbed in Leigh-on-Sea”, with the deceased victim understood to be Sir David Amess MP.
“We were called to an address in Eastwood Road North shortly after 12:05 p.m. today (Friday 15 October),” the force said in an official statement.
“We attended and found a man injured,” they continued.
“He was treated by emergency services but, sadly, died at the scene. A 25-year-old man was quickly arrested after officers arrived at the scene on suspicion of murder and a knife was recovered.”
The police are not looking for anyone else in connection with the incident.
UPDATE: 2:25 p.m.
Reports indicate that, as of the time of writing, Sir David is still being treated for his wounds at the scene.
“I’m told that when he went in for his surgery there were people waiting to see him, and one of them literally got a knife out and just began stabbing him,” said John Lamb, a local councillor for the Conservatives and the party’s constituency association chairman, who is now present at the church where the attack took place.
“He was with a female member of staff from his constituency office and another female member of staff from his Parliamentary office,” Cllr Lamb said.
“It’s two hours since it happened and they are still working on him here — he hasn’t been taken to hospital yet.”
“He is very involved in the community and a lovely man,” the councillor said of the 69-year-old MP.
Original report continues below…
Sir David, who represents the Southend West constituency in the House of Commons, is said to have been attacked by a man who walked into the surgery at the Belfairs Methodist Church in Leigh-on-Sea, Essex.
Sir David’s condition was unclear as of the time of publication, but local media reports a “huge emergency presence” at the scene, included armed officers and a police helicopter.
Essex Police have confirm they have arrested a man in connection with the incident and are “not looking for anyone else”, but there is no description of the suspect or information on a possible motive at this time.
Sir David is a veteran parliamentarian, having served in Parliament for the Southend West and Basildon constituencies since the 1980s.
He is a noted eurosceptic, having supported the Brexit campaign in 2016 and the Leave Means Leave campaign in the years between the vote and Britain’s official quasi-break with the bloc in 2020.
He has been responsible for pioneering a number of popular parliamentary bills over the years, such as the Protection Against Cruel Tethering Act of 1988, which tackled to the abuse of horses, asses, and mules.
“My thoughts are with David Amess MP and his family at this awful time,” commented Sir Iain Duncan Smith MP, a former Conservative Party leader and government minister, on social media.
“Praying for a full recovery following this appalling, shocking news. This angry, violent behaviour cannot be tolerated in politics or any other walk of life,” he added.
This story is developing…
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