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{{Infobox officeholder
{{Infobox officeholder
| honorific-prefix =
| honorific-prefix = [[Sir]]
| name = Sir David Amess
| name = David Amess
| honorific-suffix = [[Member of Parliament (United Kingdom)|MP]]
| honorific-suffix = [[Member of Parliament (United Kingdom)|MP]]
| image = Official portrait of Sir David Amess MP crop 2.jpg
| image = Official portrait of Sir David Amess MP crop 2.jpg

Revision as of 13:44, 15 October 2021

Sir
David Amess
MP
Amess in 2020
Member of Parliament
for Southend West
Incumbent
Assumed office
1 May 1997
Preceded byPaul Channon
Majority14,459 (31.1%)
Member of Parliament
for Basildon
In office
9 June 1983 – 8 April 1997
Preceded byHarvey Proctor
Succeeded byAngela Smith
Personal details
Born
David Anthony Andrew Amess

(1952-03-26) 26 March 1952 (age 72)
Plaistow, Essex, England
Political partyConservative
SpouseJulia Arnold
Children5, including Katie Amess
Alma materBournemouth University
CommitteesChairmen's Panel Committee (2001–present)[1]
Health Committee (1998–2008)
Administration Committee (2015–2020)
In ParliamentActivity  · Votes
Websitedavidamess.co.uk
parliament..david-amess

Sir David Anthony Andrew Amess (born 26 March 1952) is a British politician. A member of the Conservative Party, he has been a Member of Parliament (MP) since 1983, first for Basildon and since 1997 for Southend West. A long-term and vocal Eurosceptic, he supported Brexit in the 2016 EU referendum and has since been a supporter of Leave Means Leave, a pro-Brexit campaign.[2] On 15 October 2021, he was stabbed several times while holding his constituency surgery.[3]

Early life and career

He was born in Plaistow, Essex (now Newham, London), to James Amess and his wife Maud, and was raised Roman Catholic like his mother.[4] Maud died on 12 October 2016 at the age of 104.[5]

Amess attended St Anthony's Junior and Infant School, then St Bonaventure Grammar School (now St Bonaventure's Catholic School) on Boleyn Road in Forest Gate and then the College of Technology (now Faculty of Science and Technology of Bournemouth University), where he earned a bachelor's degree with in economics and government.[6] Amess taught at St John the Baptist Primary School in Bethnal Green for a year (1970–71), and then spent a short time as an underwriter before becoming a recruitment consultant.[6]

Political career

He contested the safe Labour Party seat of Newham North West at the 1979 general election, and the seat was retained by Labour's MP Arthur Lewis. In 1982, Amess was elected as a councillor to the London Borough of Redbridge.

The incumbent Conservative MP for Basildon, Harvey Proctor, moved to Billericay in the 1983 general election, and Amess was selected to contest the Basildon seat, being elected to the Member of Parliament for Basildon on 9 June 1983. The Basildon seat was made up of all 8 wards in Basildon including the new town.

Amess continued to serve both as an MP and a local councillor until 1986, when he stood down from Redbridge Borough Council to concentrate on his Westminster seat. He held his Basildon seat narrowly at the 1987 general election, in part by developing a significant personal following. After the election, Amess was appointed a Parliamentary Private Secretary to Michael Portillo, a position he held for ten years throughout Portillo's ministerial career. Amess held his seat again at the 1992 general election, which was the first but vital sign that the Conservatives would unexpectedly win that election; the Basildon constituency was viewed as the make-or-break milestone.[7]

Prior to the 1997 general election, there was a boundary review which divided the Basildon seat into two parts, which were added in to two neighbouring seats. At the time, Amess remarked that the Boundary Commission had ‘raped’ the town of Basildon by adding an extra seat there.[8] Given his small majority, the new Basildon constituency was almost certainly going to be gained by Labour. Amess thus decided to seek re-election elsewhere. In June 1995, Amess was selected for Southend West after the retirement of former Cabinet minister Paul Channon. He was consequently returned to Westminster again in the 1997. Angela Evans Smith won the newly drawn Basildon seat for Labour by over 13,000 votes.

Involvement in legislation

Amess for Horticulture Week

Amess has sponsored many parliamentary bills.[9] Two of his most significant achievements are the Protection Against Cruel Tethering Act (1988),[10] and the Warm Homes and Energy Conservation Act (2000),[11] both of which are on the statute book in his name. In 2014, he successfully piloted the Security Printing (Specialist) Materials Bill onto the Statute Book. This Bill ended a loophole which allowed companies who supplied specialist printing equipment to counterfeiters to evade prosecution.

In 2016, he successfully steered onto the statute book the Driving Instructors (Registration) Bill. This Bill streamlines the process whereby instructors whose registration has lapsed can apply to return to the register. It also allows instructors who wish to leave the register for personal reasons to do so without being penalised. The Bill was supported by driving school owners and motoring organisations.

Protection Against Cruel Tethering Act (1988)

File:Photo 15 david-amess.png
David with ponies outside Parliament for the passing of the Protection Against Cruel Tethering Bill

The Protection Against Cruel Tethering Act came about as a result of Amess' long-standing concern for animal welfare, supported by the National Farmers Union. Amess stated in the House of Commons that the Ten Minute Rule Bill was, "inspired by the Essex Horse and Pony Protection Society".[12] The bill stated:

“In section 1 of the Protection of Animals Act 1911 there shall be added in subsection (1) the following words after paragraph (e) “or (f) shall tether any horse, ass or mule under such conditions or in such manner as to cause that animal unnecessary suffering;”

Warm Homes and Energy Conservation Act 2000

Amess' most publicised legislative success came in 2000 with the Warm Homes and Energy Conservation Act. According to a speech in the House of Commons made by Amess, the Act came to fruition after he was drawn out of the Private Members Ballot.[13] He met with Martyn Williams, a campaigner from Friends of the Earth, who convinced him of the need for the Act following on from the death of a constituent in a cold house.[13]

The Act required the Secretary of State to "publish and implement a strategy for reducing fuel poverty".[14] This Act was widely credited with a significant change in both attitude and policy towards fuel poverty within the UK.[15] The scale of fuel poverty in England fell from 5.1 million households to 1.2 million households between 1996 and 2004, indicating the impact of the Act.[15]

Health Select Committee

Amess served on the Health Select Committee from 1998 until 2007. Due to his role on the Health Select Committee, he became Chair of the Conservative Party Backbench Committee for Health in 1999.[16] He has campaigned on various health issues since. While a member of the committee, Amess played a prominent role holding an inquiry into the state of obesity in the UK, leading to the publication of a report in 2004.[17] The report found that two-thirds of the population of England are overweight or obese and went on to discuss the causes of obesity, as well as making various recommendations to combat the problem. To this day, he maintains an interest in the issue, most recently tabling a series of Parliamentary Questions in July 2013.[18]

Panel of Chairs

Amess is also a member of the Panel of Chairs, which comprises the chairman and two deputy Chairmen of Ways and Means, as well as ten Members nominated at the start of each session by the Speaker of the House of Commons.[19] Amess was appointed most recently on 26 May 2010, but has been on the panel since 2001. As a member of the panel, Amess is responsible for chairing Public Bill Committees; chairing Westminster Hall debates; and at times, for chairing Committees of the whole House.[20]

Administration Committee

Amess became a member of the Administration Committee in 2015. This committee is responsible for overseeing the running of the Parliamentary Estate and services. He stepped down from the Committee following the 2019 General election.

Backbench Business Committee

Amess was elected onto the newly formed Backbench Business Committee in 2010; he stood down in 2015.[21]

File:Unveiling of memorial to Raoul Wallenberg.jpg
HM The Queen at the unveiling of the Raoul Wallenberg Memorial

Raoul Wallenberg

Amess campaigned for many years to have a statue erected in honour of Raoul Wallenberg, a Swedish diplomat who saved tens of thousands of Jews in Nazi-occupied Hungary, an endeavour for which Wallenberg eventually lost his life. Amess began asking Parliamentary Questions in the late 1980s[22] regarding Wallenberg, campaigning for him to be awarded honorary British Nationality. Amess had previously attempted to push through a Raoul Wallenberg (Memorial) Bill in the 1989–90 session.[23] and he held an Adjournment Debate in Wallenberg's honour in 1996.[24] A memorial designed by sculptor Philip Jackson was installed in London, at Great Cumberland Place, outside the Western Marble Arch Synagogue. The statue was unveiled by Queen Elizabeth II in 1997. Charles, Prince of Wales has since visited the memorial.

All-Party Parliamentary Group on Endometriosis

Amess first became involved in this subject when a constituent attended one of his regular constituency surgeries after being diagnosed with endometriosis in January 2016. She highlighted that whilst affecting around 1 in 10 women, there was very little public awareness of the condition.

In March 2018 Amess launched an All-Party Parliamentary Group on Endometriosis with the aim of raising awareness of the condition, and to investigate how those who suffer from endometriosis can get the support that they need. The secretariat for the APPG is provided by Endometriosis UK, a charity which offers support services, reliable information and a community for those affected by endometriosis. The group is chaired by Sir David Amess, with Emma Hardy, Jackie Doyle-Price and Hannah Bardell as vice-chairs.

The experiences of those living with endometriosis have since been raised a number of times in the House of Commons. A Westminster Hall debate on Endometriosis Workplace Support was secured by Conservative MP Alec Shelbrooke on 29 October 2019, which saw MPs from across all parties sharing the stories of their constituents suffering from the condition.

Amess has raised the plight of women with endometriosis in many debates and a number of times at Business Questions, most recently to highlight the impact of the coronavirus pandemic on endometriosis care and to draw attention to the APPG's report that was launched in October 2020.

The All-Party Parliamentary Group on Endometriosis launched an inquiry in February 2020 to find out more about the experiences of those living with the condition. The group received over 10,000 responses to its patient survey and held four oral evidence sessions where the first-hand experiences of those who suffer from the condition were heard.

The findings of this inquiry were launched in October 2020 and showed the reality of living with endometriosis, including that average diagnosis time is still 8 years. The report produced a number of recommendations to the Government on how to improve endometriosis care, including a commitment to reduce average diagnosis times, the implementation of NICE guidelines and improved awareness of the condition.

An online launch event was chaired by Amess on 20 October 2020, where Minister for Patient Safety, Suicide and Mental Health, Nadine Dorries MP, said that endometriosis was part of the Government's 'women's health agenda' and that she would work alongside the APPG to make sure that changes are made to improve the lives of those with endometriosis.

Industry and Parliament Trust

Amess became a Fellow of the IPT in 1994. Amess completed an IPT Post-Graduate Fellowship I in 2012 specialising in the Cultural and Creative Industries, at Brit School, ITN and the Royal Opera House. Amess became chairman of the board of Trustees in 2014 and stood down at the end of his term in 2017.[25]

Comments about Harvey Weinstein scandal

In October 2017, following the Harvey Weinstein sexual misconduct allegations, a statement was issued in the name of Amess which described the allegations against Weinstein as "dubious to say the least" and quoted Amess as having said that the "sudden flurry of alleged inappropriate advances beggars belief". Amess later retracted the statement and apologised "for any upset", saying that the statement had been issued by his staff without his authorisation.[26]

2021 stabbing

Main article: Stabbing of David Amess

On 15 October 2021, Amess was stabbed multiple times at his constituency surgery in Leigh Church.[27] He was treated at the scene and the severity of his injuries is unclear.[28][29]

Media and publications

Brass Eye

Amess appeared in the "Drugs" episode of the spoof current affairs television programme Brass Eye, and was fooled into filming an elaborate warning against the dangers of a fictional Eastern European drug called "cake".[30] Amess later asked a question about "Cake" in the UK Parliament, alongside real substances khat and GHB. In response, the Home Office minister incorrectly replied that "cake" was a name "we understand refers to 3,4-methylenedioxy-N-benzylamphetamine",[31] a real drug. In 2001, when Brass Eye was repeated and released on DVD, a disclaimer was added to the "Drugs" episode at Amess' request reiterating his disapproval of recreational drug use.[32]

Publications

Amess wrote a pamphlet about his 1992 re-election to the Basildon constituency, 1992: Against All Odds! (2012).[33] It was launched in the House of Commons at an event to mark the 20th anniversary of the election and was attended by Prime Minister David Cameron and Conservative Party activists.[34]

Amess compiled a pamphlet entitled Party of Opportunity with the Renewal Group, which contained thirteen short biographical accounts of Conservative members of parliament who identify as working class or who come from a working-class background. The pamphlet, which was launched in the House of Commons in April 2014,[35] included contributions from four Government Ministers, including Sajid Javid, Mark Francois, Patrick McLoughlin, and Mike Penning.[36] The second edition of Party of Opportunity was launched in January 2015, sponsored by The Association of Conservative Clubs and included contributions from 29 Conservative MPs.

Ayes & Ears: A Survivor's Guide to Westminster was published by Luath Press in December 2020. In February 2021, it was announced that the book had been shortlisted for the Parliamentary Book Awards in the Memoir/Biography category.[citation needed] The book includes sketches of colleagues, memorable speeches, scandals, and descriptions of major events in Parliament from an insider's viewpoint. Amess also recounts his experience of the run-up to Brexit in a 'Countdown to Brexit Diary'.[citation needed]

Political views

Amess normally adheres to Conservative party policy when voting in the Commons,[37] but he is very strongly in favour of the ban on fox-hunting. He voted for the 2003 invasion of Iraq but has since been critical of the Labour government's failure to find the weapons of mass destruction with which they justified the action at the time. On foreign policy, he is also a leading member of Conservative Friends of Israel. He was one of the few Conservative MPs to support the impeach Blair campaign. [citation needed]

Amess was one of thirty Conservatives who voted against military action in Syria in August 2013. He later commented that he felt the way he and his colleagues voted made a difference and if he had previously voted against the war in Iraq things might have been different in that situation as well.[38]

Amess is in favour of a return to capital punishment.[39]

He is a supporter and advocate for the People's Mujahedin of Iran, the principal Iranian resistance movement.[40]

Amess is strongly anti-abortion.[39] In June 2005, Amess supported the Prohibition of Abortion (England and Wales) Bill introduced by Laurence Robertson that sought to almost entirely ban abortion.[citation needed]

Amess has been a constant campaigner for improvements in animal welfare and husbandry. He has consistently voted to ban foxhunting and hare coursing. He is a patron of the Conservative Animal Welfare Foundation. Amess has supported many campaigns, including banning cages for game birds, puppy farming and smuggling and ending the transport of live animals for export.[citation needed]

Amess is a staunch Eurosceptic, coming out in support of Brexit ahead of the EU referendum,[41][42] in which he said it was "dangerous" and a "huge mistake" to vote 'remain'. He has described a "loss of Parliamentary sovereignty" as the main negative of UK-EU relations.[43] Amess criticised US President Barack Obama's perceived intervention in the EU referendum campaign, stating that he had "absolutely no right whatsover getting involved".[44] Since the Brexit vote, he has been a keen supporter of Leave Means Leave, signing a letter to the Prime Minister in September 2017.

Since entering the House of Commons, Amess has generally opposed bills furthering LGBT rights, including equal age of consent and same-sex marriage.[45][better source needed]

Awards

Amess was created a Knight Bachelor in the 2015 New Year Honours for political and public service. He is a member of the Imperial Society of Knights Bachelor.[46]

At the Dods Charity Champion Awards 2011 Amess won the Animal Welfare and Environment Champion award,[47] in which he was recognised formally for his leading role in and commitment to animal welfare, and was presented with the award by John Bercow, Speaker of the House of Commons, in the State Rooms of the Speaker's House. The award is given to the Parliamentarian who has done the most to tackle issues concerning the welfare of animals and the natural environment.[47]

Amess received the "Outstanding Achievement Award" at the Charity Champion Parliamentary reception hosted by Dods in 2012 in recognition for his lifetime commitment to charitable work.[48]

He was nominated for the Policy Driver for Animal Rights Protection award at the Grassroot Diplomat Awards 2014 for his longstanding dedication to animal rights.[49]

Personal life

He and his wife Julia Arnold have one son and four daughters. Julia is a part-time caseworker for her husband.[50] His son – also named David Amess – was jailed in 2005 for wounding with intent, having smashed a bottle of champagne over a man's head in a nightclub.[51] Their eldest daughter is actress Katie Amess. She publicly criticised her father's stance on same-sex marriage after producing a film in support of gay rights in 2013.[52]

References

  1. ^ "David Amess profile at". TheyWorkforYou.com. Retrieved 5 May 2008.
  2. ^ "Co-Chairmen – Political Advisory Board – Supporters". Leave Means Leave. Archived from the original on 24 October 2017. Retrieved 26 February 2018.
  3. ^ Davies, Gareth (15 October 2021). "Conservative MP David Amess 'stabbed multiple times' at surgery in church". The Daily Telegraph. Retrieved 15 October 2021.
  4. ^ "Maud Amess celebrates 104th Birthday". David Amess. 4 May 2016. Retrieved 8 January 2019.
  5. ^ Pierce, Robyn (20 October 2016). "MP Sir David Amess pays tribute to 'inspirational' mum, who has died aged 104". Echo. Basildon Canvey Southend. Retrieved 8 January 2019.
  6. ^ a b "Profile". David Amess. Retrieved 9 May 2015.
  7. ^ BBC News – Vote 2001 – Results and Constituencies – Basildon, Bbc.co.uk; accessed 10 May 2014.
  8. ^ http://internetserver.bishopsgate.org.uk/files/Parliamentary%20Profiles%20Archive/A-D%5CAMESS,%20David/AMESS,%20David.pdf [bare URL]
  9. ^ "BBC profile of David Amess". BBC News.
  10. ^ "Protection against Cruel Tethering Act 1988". Legislation.gov.uk. Retrieved 9 May 2015.
  11. ^ "Warm Homes and Energy Conservation Act 2000". Legislation.gov.uk. Retrieved 9 May 2015.
  12. ^ "Active Citizenship (1991)". Parliamentary Debates (Hansard). House of Commons. 23 May 1991. Retrieved 9 May 2015.
  13. ^ a b "Warm Homes and Energy Conservation Bill (2000)". Parliamentary Debates (Hansard). House of Commons. 10 March 2000. Retrieved 10 May 2014.
  14. ^ “publish an implement a strategy for reducing fuel poverty”, Legislation.gov.uk; accessed 10 May 2014.
  15. ^ a b JRF website; accessed 10 May 2014.
  16. ^ "David Amess MP". southendwestconservatives.com. Archived from the original on 3 November 2013. Retrieved 20 July 2015.
  17. ^ Report on UK obesity absed on Amess inquiry, Publications.parliament.uk; accessed 10 May 2014.
  18. ^ Parliamentary Questions on Obesity by Amess, Publications.parliament.uk; accessed 10 May 2014.
  19. ^ Panel of Chairs, Parliament.uk; accessed 10 May 2014.
  20. ^ Amess membership in Panel of Chairs, Parliament.uk; accessed 10 May 2014.
  21. ^ "Backbench Business Committee". Davidamess.co.uk. 15 August 2012. Retrieved 9 May 2015.
  22. ^ Department of the Official Report (Hansard), House of Commons, Westminster. "House of Commons Hansard Debates for 27 Jan 1989". Publications.parliament.uk. Retrieved 9 May 2015.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  23. ^ "Raoul Wallenberg Memorial (1990)". Parliamentary Debates (Hansard). House of Commons. 8 January 1990. Retrieved 9 May 2015.
  24. ^ Department of the Official Report (Hansard), House of Commons, Westminster. "House of Commons Hansard Debates for 26 Feb 1996 (pt 33)". Publications.parliament.uk. Retrieved 9 May 2015.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  25. ^ "Presidents and Board of Trustees". Ipt.org.uk. Archived from the original on 8 January 2014. Retrieved 9 May 2015.
  26. ^ Powell, Tom (13 October 2017). "Tory MP Sir David Amess retracts 'horrifying' comments about Harvey Weinstein and blames his staff". London Evening Standard. London. Retrieved 14 October 2017.
  27. ^ "MP Sir David Amess 'stabbed multiple times' at residents' surgery in Leigh". Echo. Retrieved 15 October 2021.
  28. ^ https://news.sky.com/story/conservative-mp-david-amess-stabbed-multiple-times-in-incident-at-constituency-surgery-12434498
  29. ^ Walker, Peter (15 October 2021). "Conservative MP David Amess stabbed in Essex attack". The Guardian. Archived from the original on 15 October 2021. Retrieved 15 October 2021.
  30. ^ Brass Eye series and special (DVD). Channel 4/2 Entertain. 2002. Event occurs at 19:25 in "Drugs episode". ASIN B000066NT9.
  31. ^ Department of the Official Report (Hansard), House of Commons, Westminster. "House of Commons Hansard Written Answers for 23 Jul 1996 (pt 10)". Publications.parliament.uk. Retrieved 5 May 2016.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  32. ^ Brass Eye series and special (DVD). Channel 4/2 Entertain. 2002. Event occurs at 24:07 in "Drugs episode". ASIN B000066NT9.
  33. ^ "House of Commons Hansard Debates for 09 May 2012 (pt 0002)". Publications.parliament.uk. Retrieved 9 May 2015.
  34. ^ "A Celebration to Remember!!". David Amess. 1 May 2012. Retrieved 9 May 2015.
  35. ^ Graham, Georgia (9 April 2014). "Conservatives are home of the workers". The Telegraph. London. Archived from the original on 19 June 2014. Retrieved 9 May 2015.
  36. ^ Amess, David; Major, John; Skelton, David. "The Party of Opportunity" (PDF). renewalgroup.org.uk. Archived from the original (PDF) on 1 June 2014. Retrieved 20 July 2015.
  37. ^ "Voting Record – David Amess MP, Southend West (10009) – The Public Whip". Publicwhip.org.uk. Retrieved 9 May 2015.
  38. ^ August 2012 vote on action in Syria, Publications.parliament.uk; accessed 10 May 2014.
  39. ^ a b "David Amess". BBC News. 16 October 2002. Retrieved 5 May 2008.
  40. ^ David, Mess. "Don't Ignore Iran". Forbes. Retrieved 24 July 2016.
  41. ^ "EU vote: Where the cabinet and other MPs stand". BBC. 22 June 2016.
  42. ^ Goodenough, Tom (16 February 2016). "Which Tory MPs back Brexit, who doesn't and who is still on the fence?". The Spectator. Retrieved 11 October 2016.
  43. ^ "Sir David explains why he is backing Brexit". UK Parliament. 17 June 2016.
  44. ^ "Southend MP Sir David Amess warns Barack Obama: Stay out of British politics". The Echo (Essex). 25 April 2016.
  45. ^ "Amess gay rights voting record". theyworkforyou. 23 October 2018.
  46. ^ "No. 61092". The London Gazette (Supplement). 31 December 2014. p. N2.
  47. ^ a b "News | UK World Animal Protection". Wspa.org.uk. Archived from the original on 7 March 2014. Retrieved 9 May 2015.
  48. ^ "A Charity Champion: David Amess MP Receives an Outstanding Achievement Award from Dods". Davidamess.co.uk. 28 June 2012. Retrieved 9 May 2015.
  49. ^ "Animal Activist David Amess MP Nominated for Initiative Award – Grassroot Diplomat". Grassrootdiplomat.org. Archived from the original on 22 October 2014. Retrieved 9 May 2015.
  50. ^ Michael Wilkinson, Christopher Hope (29 June 2015). "One in five MPs employs a family member: the full list revealed". Daily Telegraph.
  51. ^ "MP's son jailed for bottle attack". BBC News. 15 February 2005. Retrieved 25 October 2020.
  52. ^ "Daughter of anti-gay marriage Tory MP makes 'Misérable Lesbians' equal rights movie". Pink News. 29 April 2013.
Parliament of the United Kingdom
Preceded by Member of Parliament for Basildon
1983–1997 		Succeeded by
Preceded by Member of Parliament for Southend West
1997–present 		Incumbent
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