It was an honour to welcome Lady Julia and Katie Amess to Parliament today to witness the unveiling of Sir David’s memorial plaque in the House of Commons Chamber. It is my hope that the people of Southend and the country can look upon it and remember one of our most dedicated and outstanding parliamentarians.
Sir David really was an exemplar MP and I hope that his plaque will serve as a poignant and powerful reminder for generations to come that democracy will never be defeated by extremism.
I was also lucky to meet with a member of the College of Arms who explained the significance of the imagery used. In short, the blue signifies the Conservative party of which he was a member, the gold bar at the top signifies southend’s wonderful sandy beaches. The vertical gold bar is Southend pier extending long in to the blue sea. The roses signify Sir David’s love of gardening and each of his five children. Finally, the two dogs are images from Bournemouth College where he once studied, and signify his love of dogs.
Our thoughts and prayers remain with Lady Julia Amess and her family, and we very much hope that they can look upon the plaque with pride and remember a much-loved husband and father, as well as the outstanding Parliamentarian who founded our new city. #HisLightRemains
