Sir David Amess’ funeral to be held next month at Westminster Cathedral
Sir David Amess will be laid to rest at Westminster Cathedral next month.
The Conservative MP was stabbed to death on October 15 while meeting people in his Essex constituency.
The violent killing sent shockwaves through the world of politics and triggered an urgent review of the safety of members of parliament.
Sir David’s friends, family and colleagues will gather on November 23 for a service led by Cardinal Vincent Nichols, the leader of Roman Catholics in England and Wales.
It has also emerged a priest was denied entrance to the Belfairs Methodist Church, where the devout Catholic lay dying.
Father Jeffrey Woolnough rushed to Sir David in order to administer the last rites but was denied entry by police officers because it was a crime scene.
Labour MP Mike Kane has proposed the ‘Amess amendment’ to create a legal presumption that priests should be allowed access to give the important sacrament.
Ali Harbi Ali, 25, has been charged with Sir David’s murder and could go on trial in March.
He appeared in crown court for the first time on Friday by video-link from high-security Belmarsh prison.
The Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) alleges the murder has a terrorist connection because of its ‘religious and ideological’ motives.
He allegedly travelled by train from his home in north London to Leigh-on-Sea to carry out the attack.
Ali is also charged with preparing acts of terrorism between May 2019 and September this year in connection with the alleged murder.
They told Westminster Magistrates Court on Thursday that he described himself as an affiliate of Islamic State and had plotted for two years to kill a member of parliament.
Ali is said to have targeted Sir David over the Southend West MP’s voting record in support of air strikes on IS targets in Syria.
The 25-year-old was not asked to enter pleas to either charge, and he was remanded in custody after his barrister made no application for bail.
A provisional trial date has been identified for March 7 next year.
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