Who was Sir David Amess?

The Conservative MP, Sir David Amess, had served as an MP for 38 years, initially in Basildon from 1983 before he took on his role representing Southend West from 1997.

The father-of-five was heavily involved in his constituency work, including his long-running campaign to make Southend a city.

In December 2019, he secured an adjournment debate in the Commons specifically on the campaign and he told MPs: "I am not messing around.

"We have got it from the Prime Minister that Southend is going to become a city - and it will become a city."

Community spirit, the proposed marina and the airport were among his arguments, which have continued in subsequent months.

His campaign for a memorial to Dame Vera Lynn on the White Cliffs of Dover also won support from a minister in May this year.

Tributes have poured in for the Tory MP, who died after he was stabbed several times while holding a surgery at his constituency in Leigh.

• Reverend Clifford Newman from Rayleigh Methodist Church:

Bournemouth MP Tobias Ellwood paid tribute to David Amess on Twitter.

Member of Parliament for North Thanet said David was a "brave and compassionate MP".

The Conservative MP for Meon Valley, Flick Drummond, said: "I am shocked and very upset about what has happened this afternoon. Just like me and hundreds of other MPs, Sir David was undertaking constituency work when this terrible incident happened.

"Words cannot express how difficult this must be for his family and my thoughts and prayers are with them."

As a strident supporter of the British monarchy, Sir David saw another opportunity in November 2020 as the Commons considered plans for the Queen's Platinum Jubilee next year.

He asked for a new statue of the Queen and for a city status competition to ensure Southend is finally elevated.

In March 2021, Sir David repeated his statue calls - insisting the Queen deserved one for being a "great" monarch.

Away from his campaigning, Sir David announced in December 2019 that he would run to be one of the three deputy speakers in the House of Commons.

He ultimately missed out and continued with his support for Brexit.

On December 30 last year, he posted a photo of a carboard cut-out of former prime minister Margaret Thatcher.

He wrote: "Whilst Margaret didn't live long enough to see this day, I am sure that she is rejoicing in heaven. At last we 'got Brexit done'!"