Daughter of murdered Southend MP says she will never stop fighting for answers about her dad's death
Katie Amess says a public inquiry into his death should have been automatically triggered
Last updated 12th Oct 2026
The daughter of murdered Southend MP Sir David Amess has been telling us she can't move on with her life until she gets the answers she needs about her dad's death.
Katie Amess has been campaigning for an inquiry since Sir David's murder on October 15th 2021.
This week marks five years since he was killed.
Sir David Amess was hosting a constituency surgery at the Belfairs Methodist Church in Leigh-on-Sea, when he was stabbed to death by Ali Harbi Ali.
His killer was arrested at the scene and is now serving a whole life sentence.
His daughter, Katie Amess, said she is still fighting for answers as to why her dad's killer, who was known to the Government's anti-extremism Prevent programme, was able to carry out the attack.
She told us: "The pain doesn't go away, I still feel just as dumbfounded as I was the moment that I found out.
"You just have to live with that trauma forever.
"People might think, 'well it's five years now you have to just get on with it', but you can't knowing that that happened to your loved one.
"Knowing that there is answers out there, that we don't have any knowledge of. Why did they have somebody who they were monitoring, that was a potential terrorist, why did they let him go?"
An independent review ongoing into the death of Sir David Amess.
The Home Secretary has appointed Sir Robert Buckland KC to "explore missed opportunites that could have prevented" his murder.
Katie Amess said she hopes this review gives her the answers she needs, but continues to call for a full public inquiry which would legally require people to answer questions asked of them.
She says: "We've set out very clear terms of reference and things that we need answered. Because all of these other paper reviews, people refused to speak to them, people forgot what happened, meetings between counter terrorism and the investigators, the notes were missing.
"Nobody has to give any answers, nobody has to speak.
"Inquiries have been given for many, many other instances where the government has failed. I don't know why both governments haven't wanted to do an inquiry."
She added: "I shouldn't have to be leading a campaign into this. I should be trying to get on with my healing now and trying to live the rest of my life."
A Home Office spokesperson said: “Sir David Amess’s murder was an awful tragedy, and our thoughts continue to be with his family and friends.
“Alongside the police, we work closely with the Parliamentary Security Department to provide support to MPs.
"The Home Secretary has also commissioned a further review of lessons from Sir David’s murder to identify improvements to security arrangements for MPs working in their constituencies.”