Make Southend a city in honour of Sir David Amess, say MPs

Southend-on-Sea should be given city status in honour of a decades-long campaign by Sir David Amess, who was killed on Friday, MPs have said.

The Queen will designate new cities to celebrate her Platinum Jubilee next year, and a competition for local authorities to put forward their towns for city status opened in June.

Sir David campaigned for many years for Southend to be given city status, often asking about the issue at Prime Minister’s Questions or in parliamentary debates. His death on Friday prompted MPs to argue that the status of Essex resort should be upgraded in honour of his life and work.

Michael Fabricant, a Conservative backbencher and the MP for Lichfield, said: “David campaigned for so many wonderful things, including animal welfare and to make Southend a city. That would be a fitting memorial.”

Victoria Prentis, a government minister and the Tory MP for Banbury, said of Sir David: “No one could have done more for his constituents. We all know that Southend should be a city.”

In response to a tweet suggesting Southend be given city status, Charlotte Nichols, the Labour MP for Warrington North, said: “Absolutely; I can’t think of a better way to honour his memory.”

In one debate, Sir David linked his campaign to the Covid crisis and Brexit, arguing that city status would help the UK recover from the pandemic.

“Our country and the whole of the world will need to rebuild itself and particularly in terms of the economy,” he said. “Southend becoming a city would be of enormous benefit in terms of attracting investment post-Brexit. There are many potential building projects and renovations that would fit perfectly into Southend becoming a city.

“Our unique position lying along the magnificent Thames Estuary should be capitalised and made the most of.”

Others said another of Sir David’s campaigns, for a statue of the late Dame Vera Lynn, should be completed in his memory.

Matt Warman, a former minister, said: “Sir David Amess was a man with a kind word for everybody, a thank you letter for every minister, a note after every reshuffle.

“His passion for representing his constituency was immense. The very least we can do is the statue to Dame Vera Lynn for which he campaigned so keenly.”