Plea for Parliament debate to be renamed after Sir David Amess heard "loud and clear"
MPs want a traditional debate named in his honour
Calls to name a House of Commons debate after Sir David Amess have been heard “loud and clear” by the Government as the “will” of MPs, a minister has said.
Stuart Andrew told MPs he would speak to Jacob Rees-Mogg, the Commons leader, about how to “progress” with naming the traditional debate held before the Commons goes into recess in the summer after Sir David, who was killed while carrying out work as an MP in Southend earlier this year.
The announcement came after Conservative MP Bob Blackman (Harrow East) said the Commons backbench business committee had requested the annual debate be renamed “the Sir David Amess debate”.
Sir David was a regular attender at the pre-recess adjournment debate and would often rattle through a list of issues, including his regular call for Southend to be made a city.
The debate offers backbench MPs a chance to raise issues in the House of Commons – and hopefully a response from a minister – before a break.
The MP for Southend West was fatally stabbed during a constituency surgery at Belfairs Methodist Church in Leigh-on-Sea on October 15.
Deputy chief whip Mr Andrew said Sir David “epitomised” a “hard-working Member of Parliament”, as he remembered having to keep up with the former Southend West MP’s many contributions to the wide-ranging annual debate.
He added: “There was no greater honour than the thing which he would always finish his debate with – which was making Southend a city – and the news that that is now happening.
“I hear loud and clear the calls for the summer debate to be named in tribute after him. I am sure that is the will of the House. There will be ways in which we can perhaps progress that forward further.”
The minister said renaming a debate would be a decision for MPs, describing it as a “matter for the House”, adding: “I will raise it with the Leader of the House (Mr Rees-Mogg).”
Harrow East MP Mr Blackman said Sir David’s contributions to pre-recess debates were “remarkable”.
Speaking ahead of the Christmas recess, he said: “This is the first pre-recess adjournment debate which will take place without Sir David Amess. It will not be as good a debate because he’s not here.
“His performance at these debates was always remarkable. A lesson for every backbencher, and an opportunity to raise matters far and beyond his own constituency and across the world, and an ideal way to raise every item of casework that he had to give to ministers prior to us going on recess.
“So we mourn his loss, and on behalf of the backbench business committee we have asked the Leader of the House if the pre-recess adjournment debate in the summer can be retitled the Sir David Amess debate.”
During the pre-recess debate on Thursday, independent MP for Rutherglen and Hamilton West Margaret Ferrier paid tribute to Sir David, saying: “He was a seasoned professional when it came to these debates.
“He loved to recognise all the good people, organisations and charities in Southend West. I know colleagues from across the House will still be feeling his absence and I hope we can emulate his enthusiasm and dedication to our constituents today.”
Conservative MP David Johnston spoke of his “sadness” that Sir David was not present.
The MP for Wantage said: “The joy of this debate was not getting to speak in it yourself, but getting to see his tour de force.
“Because most of us decide between the 30, 40, 50 issues, which small handful we will raise, and he just raised them all. And it was a sight to behold. And I think we very much will always miss that contribution.”
Labour MP Afzal Khan (Manchester Gorton) said Sir David “remains sorely missed by colleagues across the House”.
Deputy Speaker Nigel Evans said he supported the proposal to change the name of the pre-summer recess adjournment debate to include Sir David’s name.
But he said regardless of the outcome “the spirit of David will always be in this chamber on adjournment debates”.
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