David Warburton MP writes:

The tragic murder of Sir David Amess shook not only parliamentarians but the whole country to the core. I knew Sir David well. He was a dedicated public servant who deeply cared about his constituents as evident through his work spanning almost four decades. He was truly a one-of-a-kind Member of Parliament, and our country needs more politicians like him. His loss leaves a vacuum in our politics and in his constituency of Southend, and it's a fitting tribute that Southend will be made a city.

Discourse of safety for Members of Parliament both out and about and at their surgery appointments seems now to have taken centre stage. Of course, it's paramount that Members of Parliament take some extra precautions as they go about their business not only for their own sake, but also for their families, and members of staff.

I know that for me, and many if not all of my colleagues, tragic events like this will not deter from serving and meeting with our communities. And nor should it. The access our constituents have to us is a precious cornerstone of our democracy and something we must both protect and cherish.

It is perhaps inevitable that Sir David's death, and its deeply horrifying circumstances will bring new questions about MPs' safety. But the answer to such questions is not to curtail face-to-face surgery meetings with constituents, have bodyguards or, indeed, a heavy police presence. Only the pandemic prevented MPs from holding surgeries with their constituents, and then only because such meetings and gatherings were then illegal it was illegal.

Members of Parliament will continue to meet with their constituents because it's an essential part of the job. As Sir David's career very much emphasises, it not only provides us with an opportunity to help people in difficulty and need, but it also shapes our job as legislators by allowing us to understand the thoughts and feelings of those we represent. Sir David's now well-known work on endometriosis originated precisely because he had met a constituent at one of his surgery meetings who shared her personal experience. This is how people make a direct impact and are able to shape our country.

Sir David continued to be accessible and welcoming following the tragic murder of our colleague Jo Cox. Politics is about perseverance after all, and nobody understood this quite as well as he did. While we grief this loss, let's not let it be overshadowed by the broader, somewhat practical questions of MPs safety, and instead stand together as we remember both him and the way he worked alongside the people he represented to help shape our country for the better.