Sir David Amess: Support growing for statue to MP

Sir David Amess had long campaigned for Southend to be made a city

Support is growing for plans to build a statue of Sir David Amess in his beloved Southend.

The idea was first raised in the House of Lords by the Archbishop of York, who suggested positioning it at the end of the soon-to-be city's pier.

Borough councillor John Lamb said it would be "a lovely thing to remember David for all his hard work for the town".

Southend West MP Sir David was stabbed to death in Leigh-on-Sea on Friday.

The Archbishop of York, the Most Reverend Stephen Cottrell, was speaking after Prime Minister Boris Johnson announced Southend was to be made a city in Sir David's honour.

He told the House of Lords: "I reckon that now Southend has been declared a city today, forget about a statue of Vera Lynn at Dover, we are going to put a statue of David Amess at the end of Southend pier."

The Archbishop of York told the House of Lords a statue of Sir David Amess should be built at the end of Southend Pier

Sir David had previously championed the idea of a statue to Dame Vera at Dover.

Mr Lamb said he believed a statue could be built for as little as £60,000, but was eager not to put a limit on its cost or ambition.

"I think it would be a lovely thing to do," he said. "It ought to be something that comes from the people.

"It would be nice if public donations paid for it as David was a man of the people."

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He said the cost would depend on what the statue was made out of and what size it was, but that a recently-built bronze war memorial had cost £45,000.

Mr Lamb said "it is not impossible" the statue could be located at the end of the pier, but he raised questions about possible corrosion and whether enough people would see it there.

"Wherever it is, it should be appropriate to the person that Sir David was," he said.

Speaking in the Lords, the archbishop, who is from Leigh-on-Sea and grew up in Southend, said Sir David's killing "happened in streets I know well, just around the corner from where my mum lives".

He said the MP has been one of the first to congratulate him when he was appointed to his previous role as the Bishop of Chelmsford.

He added: "When I was translated to York, it was the same.

"He thought this was another way of putting Southend on the map. The boy who went to a secondary modern school in Southend was now the 98th Archbishop of York. He was so pleased."

Southend-on-Sea Borough Council's Cabinet member for environment, culture, tourism and planning, Carole Mulroney, said it was important Sir David was honoured "in the right way".

She said: "At the right time we will be spending time as a community to consider other ways that we, as a city alongside working with Sir David's family, can suitably honour and remember Sir David and everything he has achieved for Southend-on-Sea.

"However, at this time, we are focusing on supporting everyone affected by this in any way we can. Any further announcements will be made at the appropriate time."