Obituary: Conservative MP Sir David Amess

Veteran Conservative MP Sir David Amess has died after being stabbed at a meeting in his constituency in Essex.

A Conservative backbencher for nearly 40 years, the 69-year-old father of five entered Parliament in 1983 as the MP for Basildon.

He achieved totemic status within the Tory party for holding the constituency - which had been a classic swing seat - in 1992, but switched to nearby Southend West at the 1997 election.

Raised a Roman Catholic, he was known politically as a social conservative and as a prominent campaigner against abortion and on animal welfare issues.

He supported a ban on fox hunting, and was a patron of the Conservative Animal Welfare Foundation.

He was also known for his championing of Southend, including a long-running campaign to win city status for the town.

In December 2019, he secured a debate in the Commons specifically on the campaign and 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."

A strong monarchist, he had called for a new statue of the Queen to mark her Platinum Jubilee.

He did not serve as a minister or hold as positions as a Conservative spokesman, but was instead known for his campaigning from the backbenches.

He was knighted in the 2015 New Year's Honours List for political and public service.