Katie Amess: "It's not just Prevent which needs to be investigated, it's also Essex police"
The daughter of murdered Southend West MP, Sir David Amess, is calling for any public inquiry into his death to include an investigation into the force
The daughter of murdered Essex MP, Sir David Amess, has said "It's not just Prevent that needs to be investigated, it's also Essex police."
It's after a report showcased "a number of basic errors" in the government's handling of the counter-terror case of Ali Harbi Ali, Amess' killer, who'd been referred to the programme twice before the stabbing.
Security Minister Dan Jarvis said on Wednesday (12 February) Ali's Prevent case had been "closed too quickly".
Sir David's daughter, Katie Amess, has called for a public inquiry into her father's death.
She added it needs to "delve into Essex police's incompetence".
"I've launched a complaint against them for failing to protect him after there was a threat.
"They did absolutely nothing except send an unmarked police car pass the house the night before, I don't know what that was meant to foil.
"They said it's not their policy to send police protection, even though there was a threat, and then my father died the next day.
"If you have a threat to a standing member of parliament, you better believe that you make that your policy.
Ali admitted he went to other constituency surgeries with his weapon, saw the police, and turned around, says Ms Amess.
"So had Essex police have got up and gone to the surgery, my father would still be here" she said.
Sir David's successor, former MP Anna Firth, has also backed a public inquiry into his death.
She told Greatest Hits Radio she's "absolutely shocked at the "number of basic errors" made in dealing with counter-terror claims about his killer.
"They knew this young man was vulnerable to terrorism, he was in the upper category of people they were dealing with, and yet the tool they used to assess how radical he was, was outdated."
Ali was referred twice to government counter-terror programme, Prevent, before stabbing the veteran MP at a constituency surgery in Leigh-on-Sea on 15 October 2021.
A review of Prevent's handling of the case confirmed the "tool used for identifying a persons vulnerability to radicalisation was outdated" and “record keeping was problematic".
It added: "There is no streamline single referral process across the country so take up isn’t consistent."
The report stated the reason for Ali's referral was that when asked to account for the “drop in his studies”, he expressed an interest to travel to a more Islamic state as he said he could no longer live among unbelievers.
Katie Amess claims Essex police refused to provide protection to her father, despite being told about threats to his life.
When contacted for a statement, Essex police said: "We have received a complaint relating to a call made by a member of Sir David Amess' family the day before Sir David's murder.
"The investigation into the complaint is ongoing so we cannot comment any further."