Murder of David Amess

David Amess was a long-serving Conservative politician who had represented Basildon and later Southend West since 1983. He was knighted in 2015 for political and public service and was known for socially conservative views, support for animal welfare, and a long campaign for Southend-on-Sea to be granted city status.

On 15 October 2021, Amess held a constituency surgery at the church hall of Belfairs Methodist Church in Leigh-on-Sea, Essex, scheduled to meet constituents between 10am and 1pm. After a virtual meeting and conversations with residents outside, he entered the hall around 12:05pm accompanied by two staff members. While inside, a man armed with a knife emerged from among the constituents and stabbed Amess multiple times. Police and paramedics arrived within minutes; an air ambulance landed nearby but medical staff determined Amess's condition was too unstable to move him, and he was treated at the scene. His death was confirmed at 1:13pm. A post-mortem later found he died from multiple stab wounds to the chest.

The attacker, Ali Harbi Ali, a 25-year-old British citizen of Somali descent from Kentish Town, London, was arrested at the scene and a knife was recovered. The investigation was quickly handed to the Metropolitan Police's Counter Terrorism Command, and police identified the attack as a terrorist incident potentially motivated by Islamic extremism. Ali had been referred to the Prevent programme in 2014 as a teenager but was not considered a security concern by MI5. He told police he had planned the attack roughly two years in advance and had researched more than 250 MPs, including reconnaissance visits to the offices of other members of parliament, using Amess's voting record on Syria airstrikes and his membership of Conservative Friends of Israel as cited motives.

Ali was charged on 21 October 2021 with murder and the preparation of terrorist acts. He pleaded not guilty at a hearing in December 2021. His trial began at the Old Bailey on 21 March 2022. On 11 April 2022, he was found guilty of both charges; he refused to stand for the verdict, citing religious beliefs. On 13 April 2022, Mr Justice Sweeney sentenced Ali to life imprisonment with a whole life order, stating the murder "struck at the heart of our democracy" and describing Ali as "cold, calculated and dangerous."

Amess's death prompted widespread tributes from politicians across the spectrum, reviews of MP security, and debate over the safety of public constituency surgeries. It was the second killing of a sitting British MP in five years, following the 2016 murder of Jo Cox. In his memory, Southend-on-Sea was granted city status in March 2022. A memorial service was held at St Mary's Church, Prittlewell, and a Catholic funeral service took place at Westminster Cathedral. Following Ali's arrest, some British Somalis reported experiencing abuse and threats, and the Muslim Council of Britain condemned the killing.