Grievous loss
THE outpouring of grief from MPs of all political parties tells its own story about Sir David Amess.
He was a superb, dedicated and popular MP for almost 40 years.
He was the kindest, most charming, most cheerful of men, a devout Catholic and a true champion of Essex . . . murdered in the act of helping his community at a church.
Our hearts go out to his family and his many friends. Their shock and grief is unimaginable.
As with Jo Cox’s murder five years ago, our democracy itself has been attacked — and robbed of a politician of enormous dedication.
Few who watch Parliament will forget Sir David’s tireless, inventive and good-humoured campaign to win city status for Southend.
It would be a fitting tribute for that now to happen in his memory.
We do not yet know what motivated his killer. One thing is surely certain regardless: Our MPs are now too exposed.
Most receive regular threats serious enough to alert the police.
Sir David is the third in a decade to fall prey to an attacker, after Jo in 2016 and Stephen Timms, who survived an attempted murder in 2010.
Ten years earlier Nigel Jones MP was attacked with a sword — and his assistant died defending him.
Mr Jones, Mr Timms and now Sir David were targeted while meeting voters at their regular constituency surgery. Jo was on her way to hers.
Such sessions provide a vital connection between voters and their MPs.
It is sadly evident they cannot continue without watertight new security measures.
Global warning
THE Queen is right about the upcoming COP26 climate summit — we’ll need a little less conversation and a lot more action from world leaders.
In Britain’s case that should mean fleshing out our net-zero pledges with hard costings. The public won’t be brought onside without them.
But this is not primarily a UK problem, of course, despite what eco protesters claim.
They target Britain — ignoring our huge environmental achievements and commitments over the past decade — because it is easy and safe.
But if far dirtier polluters such as China, Russia and India don’t make and act on the same zero-carbon pledges then there is zero chance of stopping global warming.
At best Britain can breathe cleaner air, set an example and feel good about doing our bit.
But when vastly bigger nations still build coal-fired power stations instead of closing them, the world’s temperature will keep rising.
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