Sir David Amess: Pope leads tributes to murdered MP at Westminster funeral

The Pope led tributes to Sir David Amess at the murdered MP’s funeral in Westminster.

In a message read out at Westminster Cathedral, Pope Francis praised the Conservative Southend West MP’s years of “devoted public service” before he was fatally stabbed during a constituency surgery on 15 October in Leigh-on-Sea.

The Pope, who Sir David met several times, called for mourners’ resolve to be strengthened to “combat evil with good” and “build a society of ever greater justice” following the devout Catholic’s death.

Hundreds of mourners attended the Requiem Mass, with Prime Minister Boris Johnson joined by former Conservative prime ministers David Cameron, Theresa May and John Major.

Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer and Speaker Sir Lindsay Hoyle were also joined by senior Cabinet members, including Chancellor Rishi Sunak and Health Secretary Sajid Javid.

Julia Amess, Sir David’s wife, was joined by family members as they paid their respects to the much-loved father-of-five, husband, colleague and MP.

Sir David’s body lay in the chapel at the Palace of Westminster overnight before his coffin was driven in a hearse and carried into Westminster Cathedral by pallbearers on Tuesday morning.

The insignia of the Knights Bachelor awarded to Sir David when he was knighted was carried on a velvet cushion into the cathedral.

A private funeral was held in his constituency and home of Southend-on-Sea in Essex the day before, and a private burial is taking place after the Westminster funeral.

Archbishop Claudio Gugerotti, the Apostolic Nuncio to Great Britain, read out the message from the Pope to convey “his heartfelt condolences and the assurance of his spiritual closeness to the Amess family”.