Susan Aitken calls for end to ‘rhetoric’ that led to Sir Amess death

Glasgow City Council leader Susan Aitken has called for a line to be drawn under the “rhetoric” that led to the “appalling” death of Sir David Amess MP.
Sir David Amess was murdered last month. Pic: Getty Images.Sir David Amess was murdered last month. Pic: Getty Images.
Sir David Amess was murdered last month. Pic: Getty Images.

Political group leaders in Glasgow paid tribute to Sir Amess, who was killed at his constituency surgery last month, at a full council meeting last week.

Ms Aitken said the Tory MP’s death was “one of those moments that you feel physically in the pit of your stomach”.

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The nature of his death “struck at the very heart of our democracy and the job each of us do as elected members”, Glasgow’s council leader said.

Cllr Malcolm Cunning, who leads the city’s Labour group, said there had been “genuine affection” for Mr Amess across the political divide.

He highlighted incidents involving elected members in Glasgow, including “very serious threats” faced by Ms Aitken, and when a man entered the city chambers with a samurai sword and threatened to kill former council leader Gordon Matheson.

Last year, a woman was jailed after defying an order banning her from contacting Ms Aitken. She had sent threatening texts and letters to the council leader.

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Speaking at the full council meeting, Ms Aitken said: “It was clear from the tributes in the House of Commons that David Amess was not only extremely well-liked, but also that he was the very epitome of a constituency member.

“It was in the pursuit of that service to constituents that he lost his life. It makes it all the more devastating. We all recognise that we make sacrifices when we choose to go into public service, and we can’t complain about that, we do, after all, stand for election.

“But there are some sacrifices that no one should be expected to make: your safety, your health and most of all your life. It is only a few short years since Jo Cox lost her life in very similar circumstances.

“It is something that we must say is intolerable, it is anti-democratic and we must stand united across party lines against it. When one of us is hurt or lost, then it is a blow to all of us and to the whole country.

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“The loss of David Amess is devastating, it is an appalling tragedy, that tragedy can never be undone. But let this time be the moment when we draw a line under the kind of rhetoric and the kind of events that led to that appalling tragedy.”

The city’s Conservative group leader, Thomas Kerr, said: “Sir David’s legacy is that of a true public servant.

“That his life was cut short at a constituency surgery serves as a reminder to us all how important he took his responsibility to his constituents.

“I hope that despite our many differences we can all unite to reject the spectre of violence that haunts our political discourse, and to work collaboratively on how to maintain the level of public accessibility that we should cherish while maintaining the safety of elected members.”

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Lord Provost Philip Braat described Mr Amess as a “popular and respected figure among colleagues of all political allegiances and the people of Essex”.

“We should all strive to remember him rather than the senselessness of his death.”

And Cllr Martha Wardrop, of the Green group, said the killing of Sir David Amess is “not only an attack on MPs but a threat to our democracy”.

“It was an attack on one of the cornerstones of our democracy, that close link between elected representatives and the people who elect them.”

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