A requiem mass will be held at Westminster Cathedral later this morning in memory of Sir David Amess.

The mass will be presided over by Cardinal Vincent Nichols and a message from Pope Francis will be read out.

Sir David, a devout Catholic, will be buried in a private ceremony afterwards.

Pall bearers carry the coffin of Sir David Amess out of St Mary's Church in Prittlewell, Southend, following his funeral service. Picture date: Monday November 22, 2021.
Image:
Pall bearers from Southend’s fire service carried Sir David’s coffin on Monday

It comes a day after the Southend West MP was mourned during a private service at St Mary’s Church in Prittlewell, Essex.

The father of five was stabbed to death while holding a constituency surgery at Belfairs Methodist Church in Leigh-on-Sea on 15 October.

During 38 years as an MP, Sir David was known as someone who fought for his constituents and for Southend, which he campaigned to be designated as a city – a wish granted after his death.

At Monday’s service, Sir David’s friend and colleague Mark Francois described him as the “original Essex cheeky chappy”.

More from UK

Mr Francois said in a eulogy: “Our electors employ us to represent them in a contract renewable every few years.

Members of the public pay their respects as the horse drawn hearse carrying the coffin of Sir David Amess, arrives at his constituency office at Iveagh Hall, in Leigh-on-Sea, following his funeral service. Picture date: Monday November 22, 2021.
Image:
Sir David’s constituents applauded as the horse drawn hearse carrying his coffin went past

“We work for them and not the other way around, and no-one was ever more conscious of that than David Amess.

“Whatever one thinks of members of parliament, and opinions do vary, in my experience MPs of all parties do genuinely try and help other people.

“However, collectively in recent years we have perhaps not always helped ourselves, and I humbly suggest today that we need to learn from that.

“But, boy, did David Amess honour the contract with his employers – and in his own inimitable style.”

He added: “Whatever the weaknesses of parliament, David Amess was the living embodiment of all its strengths.”

Mourners lined the streets as Sir David’s coffin, draped in a Union Flag, was carried by pallbearers from Southend Fire Service.

The coffin was borne on a horse-drawn hearse for a procession through Southend, pausing in front of the civic centre, where hundreds of people gathered to pay their respects, many of them applauding.

You May Also Like

‘Big gap’ remains between UK and EU over NI Protocol – Frost

There is a “lot of work to do” and a “big gap”…

Cameron lobbied Treasury’s top civil servant over Greensill

David Cameron lobbied the Treasury’s top civil servant on behalf of a…

‘Great train robbery’: Eastern leg of HS2 scrapped as plans for Northern Powerhouse Rail downgraded

The eastern leg of HS2 has been scrapped and plans for Northern…
£100,000 a year ‘not a huge salary’, Chancellor Jeremy Hunt claims | Politics News

£100,000 a year ‘not a huge salary’, Chancellor Jeremy Hunt claims | Politics News

The chancellor has claimed that earning £100,000 a year is “not a…