I knew Sir David Amess for more than 20 years. He was a superb campaigner and had succeeded in gaining and holding office for years in what had been an Essex Labour heartland.

At my invitation he spoke in 2013 to a somewhat dispirited local Conservative Association. David delivered the most bravura and barnstorming address that we still recall now. What a man, what a campaigner, what a friend. He will be sorely missed.

In 2000 a Liberal Democrat councillor, Andrew Pennington, was murdered with a samurai sword protecting his MP at a constituency surgery. Then Labour MP Jo Cox was gunned down in the street in 2016.

Now Sir David has been killed meeting ordinary members of the public. Britain is unique as a European nation in that electors can meet their elected members face to face.

The killing of Sir David Amess imperils that long tradition to the detriment of us all.

  • Peter Forrest is from Hornsey and Wood Green Conservatives.