Southend will receive city status in tribute to the death of Sir David Amess, Boris Johnson has announced.
The Prime Minister told MPs that the Queen has given her blessing to the long held ambition of Sir David to bestow city status to the Essex town with the plans being formalised in the coming days.
Speaking to a packed House of Commons, Mr Johnson praised Sir David as the “nicest, kindest, most gentle member of these benches”.
Opening tributes to the Tory MP, who was killed during a constituency meeting last Friday, the Prime Minister said the passing of the last 72 hours had done “little to numb the shock and sadness we all felt when we heard of the tragic and senseless death of Sir David Amess”.
“Sir David was taken from us in a contemptible act of violence striking at the core of what it is to be a member of this House, and violating both the sanctity of the church in which he was killed and the constituency surgery that is so essential to our representative democracy.
“But we will not allow the manner of Sir David’s death in any way to detract from his accomplishments as a politician or as a human being,” he added.
Sir Keir Starmer said he was “so pleased” that Southend would now become a city, as he paid tribute to “a committed public servant of kindness”.
“We are united in our grief, at this terrible time. We are thinking of David and his family. We are thinking once again of our dear friend Jo Cox, who was killed just five short years ago.” the Labour leader said.
Kim Leadbeater, the Labour MP and sister of the murdered Jo Cox, said there was “nothing anyone can say to make things alright” for the “deep trauma” suffered by Sir David’s family and friends, adding that despite not knowing him, she knew he would have been an MP she would have “ended up going for a cuppa with”.
“We would have been two backbench MPs from different parties and different parts of the country, discussing issues close to our hearts and having a lot of fun, but sadly that day will never come.”
Former prime minister Theresa May praised Sir David as he “made a difference to people’s lives”, before noting it was a “wonderful legacy” that Southend will be given city status. Mrs May also urged MPs to “bring the same respect, decency and compassion that were the symbols of his life” when discussing issues.
Veteran Labour MP and Mother of the House Harriet Harman said Sir David looked “beyond” party differences and worked with a multitude of different MPs.
The MP for Camberwell and Peckham said: “Sir David was one of the most dedicated but also the most affable of MPs.