Caithness, Sutherland and Ross Liberal Democrat MP Jamie Stone reflects after death of MP Sir David Amess
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The killing of Sir David Amess serves as a reminder that politicians must “expect the unexpected”, local MP Jamie Stone has warned.
Sir David, Conservative MP for Southend West, was stabbed multiple times at a constituency surgery last Friday and died at the scene.
Police said a 25-year-old man had been arrested on suspicion of murder after the attack at a church.
Sir David (69) had been an MP since 1983 and was married with five children.
Mr Stone, the Liberal Democrat MP for Caithness, Sutherland and Easter Ross, said on Monday: “Perhaps only once in my career have I felt unsafe in the presence of a constituent, but the fact is that a peaceful town has experienced the brutal killing of an MP who was liked by both his constituents and MPs across the House.
“This, on top of Jo Cox’s tragic death in 2016 in a perfectly normal town in Yorkshire, shows that, sadly, we have to expect the unexpected when it comes to threats to MPs.
“Goodness knows the police in the Highlands are already overstretched. However, in the next few days I am expecting to be contacted by senior officers regarding the safety of MPs and MPs’ staff.”
A Highland councillor who had served as a campaign director for Sir David said he was “reeling with shock” in the wake of the attack.
Andrew Baxter, who represents Fort William and Ardnamurchan, wrote in a social media post: “He was always so kind and amusing whenever I dealt with him on political matters. He was certainly a champion for his constituency – whether that was Basildon or latterly Southend West.”
