The Governor’s Office has led tributes today to Sir David Amess, a Conservative MP stabbed to death on Friday during a meeting with voters in his constituency.
The Governor told the Compass he was “greatly saddened by this terrible news” and that his thoughts were with his family, at this difficult time.
He added, “Sir David was widely recognised as a kind and compassionate man”.
In May 2018, Amess attended celebrations for the 60th anniversary of Cayman’s coat of arms, hosted by Cayman’s London Office.
The reception was hosted by former Premier Alden McLaughlin, who also paid tribute to the lawmaker after his passing on Friday.
“I am shocked and deeply saddened at the news of the tragic death of this outstanding, much loved and long serving British MP with whom I have met on a number of occasions over the years,” McLaughlin told the Compass.
He extended his condolences to Amess’ “family, friends and constituents”.
“Today, democracy has suffered a terrible blow and the UK political system a major loss,” McLaughlin said.
According to Amess’ website, Amess was one of 400 people in attendance at the Cayman coat of arms event in 2018. British Prime Minister Boris Johnson, who was then the foreign secretary, was also there.
Johnson is said to have attended the event to “offer his congratulations and reaffirm the UK Government’s support of the islands and what they do and stand for”.
Premier Wayne Panton also offered his condolences to Sir David’s family, in a press release sent Friday afternoon.
“This horrific tragedy is an affront to democracy and leaves us all shocked and very much saddened. Sir David cared deeply about the Cayman Islands and the other Overseas Territories. On behalf of the Government and people of the Cayman Islands, I wish to extend sincere condolences to Sir David’s family, friends and those who knew him,” Panton said in the release.
Original story:
LEIGH-ON-SEA, England (Reuters) – A British lawmaker from Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s Conservative Party was stabbed to death on Friday in a church by a man who attacked him at a meeting with voters from his electoral district.
David Amess, 69, the member of parliament for Southend West in Essex, eastern England, was targeted at around midday at a meeting at the Belfairs Methodist Church in Leigh-on-Sea.
Armed police swooped in on the church and said a man had been arrested. Police said they were not looking for anyone else in connection with the incident.
Emergency services fought to save his life inside the church, but in vain.
“He was treated by emergency services but, sadly, died at the scene,” police said.
“A 25-year-old man was quickly arrested after officers arrived at the scene on suspicion of murder and a knife was recovered.”
Colleagues from across parliament expressed their shock and paid tribute to Amess, who held regular meetings with voters on the first and third Friday of the month, saying he was diligent in his duties to his local area.
Amess, married with five children, was first elected to parliament to represent Basildon in 1983, and then stood for election in Southend West in 1997.
“He was stabbed several times,” John Lamb, a local councillor at the scene, told Reuters.
The stabbing at a meeting with constituents has echoes of a 2010 incident when Labour lawmaker Stephen Timms survived a stabbing in his constituency office, and the 2016 fatal shooting of Labour’s Jo Cox just days before the Brexit referendum.
“Attacking our elected representatives is an attack on democracy itself,” Cox’s husband Brendan said on Twitter. “There is no excuse, no justification. It is as cowardly as it gets.”
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