Hartlepool MP Jill Mortimer 'devastated' for family of Conservative colleague Sir David Amess

Hartlepool MP Jill Mortimer has offered her sympathy to the family of Conservative colleague Sir David Amess after he was stabbed to death at a constituency surgery.
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She has also vowed to continue holding surgeries with her own constituents here in Hartlepool and added: “The people who come to see me are there for my help and I am determined to give them that help.”

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A man was soon arrested by Essex Police and remains in custody.

New Hartlepool MP Jill Mortimer has offered Sir David's family her sympathy following his death on Friday.New Hartlepool MP Jill Mortimer has offered Sir David's family her sympathy following his death on Friday.
New Hartlepool MP Jill Mortimer has offered Sir David's family her sympathy following his death on Friday.

Mrs Mortimer, who was elected as Hartlepool’s first Conservative MP for 57 years at May’s Parliamentary by-election, was at her constituency office in town when she learned of Sir David’s death.

Speaking to the Mail shortly afterwards, she said: “I am absolutely devastated for his family.

"He got up this morning like the rest of us to go to work and he won’t be going home tonight to his family.

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“You do this job to help other people and your life is cruelly taken away like this in a church. It is extremely sad.”

Forensic officers at the scene near the Belfairs Methodist Church, in Eastwood Road North, Leigh-on-Sea, Essex, where Conservative MP Sir David Amess has died after he was stabbed several times at a constituency surgery.Forensic officers at the scene near the Belfairs Methodist Church, in Eastwood Road North, Leigh-on-Sea, Essex, where Conservative MP Sir David Amess has died after he was stabbed several times at a constituency surgery.
Forensic officers at the scene near the Belfairs Methodist Church, in Eastwood Road North, Leigh-on-Sea, Essex, where Conservative MP Sir David Amess has died after he was stabbed several times at a constituency surgery.

Adding that she “knew him in passing”, she said: “It is shocking to lose a colleague like this and I imagine it will be shocking for the whole country.

"My family were on the phone straight away to me because the first thing they heard was that a Conservative MP had been stabbed.”

Mrs Mortimer has vowed to continue meeting constituents at her own surgeries, which are already held at Hartlepool Civic Centre on security grounds, and said: "It is a really important part of the job to see our constituents as often as we can because the people who come to see are there for my help and I determined to give them that help.

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"They have come to see me because they want help with something in their lives so I am determined that they will continue.”

Conservative MP Sir David Amess died after he was stabbed at a constituency surgery on Friday.Conservative MP Sir David Amess died after he was stabbed at a constituency surgery on Friday.
Conservative MP Sir David Amess died after he was stabbed at a constituency surgery on Friday.

Hartlepool Labour Party have also offered their sympathy to Sir David’s family.

In a statement on Friday afternoon, they said: “Hartlepool Labour Party is deeply saddened and shocked by the news of the murder of Sir David Amess MP.

"Our thoughts are with his family at this desperately sad time.

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“This senseless killing is an attack on the very fabric of our very democracy and we stand united with the Conservative Party, including our own MP Jill Mortimer, MP for Hartlepool, in the face of this tragic loss.”

Meanwhile, former Hartlepool MP Iain Wright, who served the town in Parliament from 2004 to 2017, said: “This is so distressing.

"Sir David was a dedicated constituency MP and parliamentarian, and a lovely gentleman.”

In a statement, Essex Police said on Friday afternoon: “We were called to reports of a stabbing in Eastwood Road North, Leigh-on-Sea shortly, after 12.05pm today.

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“Officers were on scene shortly after, arrested a man and recovered a knife. He is currently in custody.”

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North East political figures react to death of MP Sir David Amess after attack a...

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