Southend West by-election: Remembering Sir David Amess and his legacy
The election takes place tomorrow
With people due to hit the polls tomorrow to vote for their new MP in Southend West, we've been taking a look back at the legacy of the man they'll be replacing.
The new MP will be taking over the seat of Conservative, Sir David Amess, who was killed whilst at his constituency surgery at Belfairs Methodist Church Hall on 15th October last year.
The man accused of the killing, Ali Harbi Ali, has pleaded not guilty to murder and planning a terrorist attack for more than two years. He's due to stand trial in March this year.
Amess had been the local MP since 1997, and had previously served as MP for Basildon.
He was a prominent backbencher, serving on multiple select committees and championing causes including animal welfare and support for Endometriosis sufferers. Sir David was also patron and president of the Music Man Project, a charity music education service those with disabilities.
Philip Miller MBE owns Adventure Island and Sealife Adventure, both found on Southend seafront. He knew Sir David for a long time and remembers him: "He was a terrific constituency MP. He always put constituents' needs above Westminster, he was never a greasy pole kind-of guy. He was always just for the people. That was his job and that's what he loved doing, and he was brilliant at it.
"Wherever he went everybody knew him, and whether you voted for him or not, he'd still help you."
There was, perhaps, no cause he was more vocal about though, than the campaign to grant Southend city status, bringing it up at every opportunity.
Following his death, it was announced Southend would become a city to honour the MP, making it the UK's 52nd city.
Murray Foster is Chair of the Southend Business Partnership, a network of over 600 businesses across Southend: "The late Sir David Amess did an immense amount for his town and one of his legacies will be the city status. That should help further the business side of the town in terms of business and leisure."
Philip Miller MBE thinks Sir David Amess would be proud of the legacy he's left behind: "I knew David when he was at Basildon - he used to bring his children down and then all his children worked for me at different times over the years, so I knew him quite well.
"He was a smashing bloke. Southend was in his blood. He was desperate to get us city status and I'm sure if he's looking down from the House of Commons in the sky, he's quite pleased to see that that's because of him, and only because of him."
Some of his constituents share their memories of him:
Sandra Bennet owns Fives Records in Leigh on Sea. She says Sir David helped her out:
"He was a really nice man, he actually helped me. My son needed a test to work with children for university, but it was taking too long and Sir David rushed it through and got it sorted... he was passionate about Southend and Leigh."
A shop keeper from Leigh on Sea said he was always there to help:
"Whatever your issue was, you could get in touch with him and he'd respond... My niece had Alopecia and we reached out to him about a school issue... he got involved and got it sorted."
Gina, a student living in Westcliff said:
"People I know met him and said he was a really good guy. I didn't personally agree with some of the things he voted for but all of the personal accounts I've heard of him have been good."
A window cleaner, who didn't want to be named, said he was "very kind, giving and... just a lovely chap."
This member of the public, who had worked with Sir David said:
"He was a great, great man, and a great MP."
For a list of all the by-election candidates, click here.