Sir David Amess vigil at Southend Civic Centre

People joined together outside Southend Civic Centre this afternoon as they paid their own touching tributes to Southend West MP Sir David Amess who was stabbed to death yesterday. 

Sir David, 69, who had been an MP since 1983, was fatally injured while meeting constituents at Belfairs Methodist Church yesterday. 

READ MORE: PM and Labour leader pay tribute to Sir David in Leigh

A 25-year-old man arrested at the scene on suspicion of murder is in custody at an Essex police station.

At the vigil outside the Civic Centre, friends, constituents and those who had never met Sir David stood shoulder, united in grief. 

Leanne Jarvis, who went to Downing Street with Sir David in 2013 when she was taking part in The Voice, said: "He was just so kind, so supportive. He really loved Southend and he wanted it to become a city.

"He was getting me behind the city of culture bid and that’s why I went to Downing Street with him.

"It was an amazing day. His energy was just so generous. He couldn’t do enough for people and he was such a nice person. When I had a fundraiser, I asked him to come along, and he came straight along no question. He was just so giving. There was no press there, he just wanted to come along to support me.

"When one of my friends was stuck in Bali during lockdown, he gave me an email and was trying to help me. He didn’t have to do that but any time I reached out he would always reach out to me. 

"I’ve known him eight years and I’m gutted I didn’t see him more recently. He was amazingly helpful, and such a nice guy.

"I felt like I was going to cry when I was singing. When I saw other people getting upset I had a lump in my throat and I thought 'please hold it together for David', he’ll be looking down saying 'keep it together Leanne, give us another verse'. I just needed to get through it for him."

READ MORE: Forensic officers comb the scene at Belfairs Methodist Church

Ian Gilbert, Labour leader of Southend Council, said: "He was absolutely passionate about promoting the town and about serving his constituents. The most recent memory I have was only a few weeks ago when we were launching Southend’s bid for city status.

Southend Council leader Ian Gilbert and MP James Duddridge in their moving tributes to Sir David Amess

"Sir David brought a town crier in the full traditional regalia - we had the mayor, we had the MPs, and it was a tremendously positive and happy occasion.

"That was something sir Divad cared about passionately. But he always mixed a serious purpose with a sense of fun and he never took himself took seriously and I think that’s something people will really miss about him.

"He really was part of the fabric of the community and the fabric of the town. It’s really difficult to think of Southend civic life without him. I don’t think there are many people who have lived here for a while who won’t have some memory of dealings with him. It’s going to take people quite a while to come to terms with that loss."

Fellow Southend MP James Duddridge (Rochford and Southend East, added: "It’s a shame he can’t be here to hear all the wonderful things that people are saying about him.

"The people that he helped in so many different ways on so many different subject areas.

"The common thing has been his empathy, listening and then taking action and giving voice to people who couldn’t speak to those in power.

"The vigil has been arranged by people in the community, by people he helped. It hasn’t been arranged formally. More and more people heard about it and then shared a prayer.

"We’ll have to tell stories about David beyond today, remember, and look forward as a town. It’s reassuring there isn't a threat to the town or councillors or MPs. The police responded quickly yesterday and we hope they will conclude their investigations as quickly as possible so we can move forward."

Mr Duddridge added: "He was a close friend. He was the type of person who would always send a card for an occasion, a condolence, or a congratulations.

"He would always pop round at Christmas and give my children chocolates, and would love dressing up as Father Christmas.

"He was always there when I needed him. I became an MP in 2005 and in a year before that he metaphorically held my hand and explained how things operate in the town.

"By being around him I understood how to be an MP. There’s no instruction manual you get as an MP. But what you do get is watching colleagues do and achieve. I think that’s touched so many MPs and politicians within the town of all political views. It wasn’t about the political party that someone came from. It was about the passion for delivering results."