UK

Man charged with murder and terrorism over fatal stabbing of MP Sir David Amess

The motive for the murder of popular MP Sir David Amess is still not clear. Picture by Kirsty O'Connor/PA Wire
The motive for the murder of popular MP Sir David Amess is still not clear. Picture by Kirsty O'Connor/PA Wire The motive for the murder of popular MP Sir David Amess is still not clear. Picture by Kirsty O'Connor/PA Wire

A man has been charged with the terrorism-related murder of MP Sir David Amess.

The Conservative MP for Southend West was fatally stabbed on Friday during a constituency surgery in Leigh-on-Sea in Essex.

Ali Harbi Ali, 25, from London, has been charged with murder and preparing acts of terrorism, the Crown Prosecution Service said.

Floral tributes had been left outside the Belfairs Methodist Church in Leigh-on-Sea, Essex, where Conservative MP Sir David Amess died on Friday. (Joe Giddens/PA)

He is due to appear at Westminster Magistrates’ Court on Thursday afternoon.

Nick Price, of the CPS, said: “We will submit to the court that this murder has a terrorist connection, namely that it had both religious and ideological motivations.”

On Monday, Parliament paid tribute to Sir David as it was announced that Southend would be granted city status, in recognition of his decades-long campaign for the seaside town to be given the honour.