Review must give answers say murdered MP's family

The family of murdered MP Sir David Amess have said a review into his death "must bring the answers we need", and future tragedies must be prevented.

The government has commissioned an independent review that will explore missed opportunities that could have prevented Sir David's murder.

Sir David was the Conservative MP for Southend West when he was stabbed multiple times while holding a constituency surgery in Leigh-on-Sea, Essex, in October 2021.

A solicitor for the family said there is "added urgency" to the review after the death of Ann Widdecombe, which has led to renewed concerns about the safety of politicians.

So-called Islamic State fanatic Ali Harbi Ali was given a whole-life sentence for the murder in 2022.

He had been referred to the anti-radicalisation scheme Prevent seven years before he killed the veteran MP, but his case was closed in 2016 after one meeting.

A further six sessions and a review after six months were missed.

The terms of reference for the review, published on Monday, state that it seeks to "set out clearly the aspects of this incident the Amess family feel remain unaddressed".

The review, which will be led by former Conservative justice secretary Sir Robert Buckland KC, aims to understand how the murder was able to happen, lessons to be learned, and recommended steps to minimise the risk of future tragedies.

Sir David's daughter Katie Amess said her family had been denied transparency and accountability about the circumstances leading to her father's death.

She said: "This is not just about what happened to my dad. It is about protecting all members of the public and other members of Parliament.

"Lessons need to be learned from mistakes that were made so that we can make sure this doesn't happen again.

"That can only be done if we have the full facts to hand, full openness, honesty, and transparency. This review must bring the answers we need."

The review will consider Lord Anderson's report, Lessons for Prevent, published last year, the coroner's decision not to hold a full inquest, documents disclosed by the Home Office and policing as part of the judicial and coronial processes.

The judgment and sentencing remarks following the trial, the Prevent Learning Review, interviews with relevant people, and documents will also be featured.

It is hoped that the review will conclude within six months of the start date, and that the findings will be submitted to the Home Secretary before being released to the family.

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