A minute's silence has been held across Southend and in Parliament to remember Sir David Amess. 

Political figures led the tribute to the Southend West MP who died after he was fatally stabbed while holding a constituents surgery in Leigh on Friday. 

Members of Southend Council stood outside the Civic Centre to pay their respects and observe the minute's silence, which was held at 2.30pm. 

A police officer who remains at the scene of Friday's tragic incident at Belfairs Methodist Church blew a whistle to mark the start and end of the minute's silence. 

Elsewhere, firefighters at Southend Fire Station were joined by Essex's Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner Roger Hirst during their minute's silence.

Rick Hylton, Acting Chief Fire Officer, was also in attendance and said: "Today we have paid tribute to Sir David Amess MP, following his tragic death on Friday. "Joining in a national silence we recognise that Sir David gave almost 40 years of service to the people of Essex and was a strong supporter of fire safety.

"Sir David played a key role in campaigning for sprinkler protection and improving building safety, and through his many years of work chairing the All Party Parliamentary Fire Safety and Rescue Group he contributed.

"Many fire colleagues across both Essex and nationally have worked closely with him, and today we have come together to pause, reflect and recognise the work he championed to keep his communities safe.

"Our thoughts remain with David’s friends and family at this tragic time."

In Parliament, the Speaker’s chaplain, Tricia Hillas, led specially written prayers before asking a sombre and busy Commons chamber to rise to commemorate the Conservative MP for Southend West.

She told the chamber: “May the bright memory of his rich life ever outshine the tragic manner of his death.”

Most of the scheduled parliamentary business on Monday has been postponed in order to enable both the House of Commons and House of Lords to pay tribute to Sir David, who was killed in a knife attack on Friday.

Commons Speaker Sir Lindsay Hoyle, opening business in the chamber, said: “The circumstances of Sir David’s death are despicable and raise the most fundamental issues about how members of this House are able to perform their vital democratic responsibilities safely and securely.

“In light of the ongoing police investigation I will not say more about the events, but I give the House my undertaking I will do everything in my power to ensure that these issues are treated with urgency and with the sense of priority that they deserve.”

Home Secretary Priti Patel said: “His killing is a terrible and sad moment in our history, an attack on our democracy and an appalling tragedy.

“We are all thinking of David Jr and his family.”