Bronze statue of murdered MP David Amess being sculpted for Southend

Life-size £37,000 bronze statue of murdered MP Sir David Amess being created for his beloved Southend – with the famous pier a location under consideration for its home

• Sir David Amess was stabbed to death at his constituency office in October 2021 
• Sculptor Andrew Lilley, 69, admired him and believes he should be recognised
• The statue is ‘quite far along’ in the process but will be improved on this year

A life-size bronze statue of murdered Conservative MP Sir David Amess worth £37,000 has been created for his beloved Southend.

Sir David was stabbed to death in his consistency office in Southend West in October 2021.

Sir David had campaigned for city status for Southend, which was confirmed just three days after his death.

Sculptor Andrew Lilley, 69, whose artworks adorn lobbies in hotels and residential buildings, is working on the tribute and hopes to get public funding.

He believes that his sculpture honouring the man who served as Southend West’s parliamentary representative for 24 years should be in a central location – for example, on the famous pier in the Essex town.

A life-size bronze statue of murdered Conservative MP Sir David Amess worth £37,000 has been created for Southend, where he was an MP for 24 years

Sir David (pictured above) was stabbed to death at his constituency office in Southend West in October 2021

He said: ‘Sir David was exemplary among MPs and needs to be recognised, because it’s quite rare. I admired his principles and what he stood for.

‘The sculpture, so far, is rudimentary. Whilst I have an initial design that I am working to, I will improve upon it as I go and as inspiration takes me.

‘I was hoping to unveil it this year as it’s a year of the city status.

‘He will have his papers in his hand about the city status for Southend and his characteristic smile.’

Before representing Southend West, Sir David was the MP for Basildon, also in Essex, for 14 years.

His killer, Ali Harbi Ali, was sentenced to a whole life order – meaning he will never be released from prison – at the Old Bailey on April 13 last year.

Andrew added: ‘The statue will be very realistic and I am hoping to get public funding for it.

‘It is quite far along and I am finishing the body at the moment. It will be authentic with every detail of him.

‘I want to recognise the special contribution to Southend becoming a city.

‘I think it needs to be in a central location, perhaps on the pier or the seafront or public space or park.’

John Lamb, West Leigh Tory councillor and a friend of the late Sir David, said: ‘This is important because Sir David was someone who represented Southend so well.

‘He was one of our greatest supporters in every way, including in Parliament.

‘He was a man of the people who worked for and helped so many people.’

Mr Lilley said: ‘Whilst I have an initial design that I am working to, I will improve upon it as I go’

Bosses at Stockvale, which runs Southend’s Adventure Island, threw their weight behind the tribute.

Marc Miller, managing director, said: ‘We were contacted some time ago for support for this most worthy project to honour the memory of Sir David.

‘As a board, we were more than happy to participate.

‘Apart from the City status given in his memory, a statue will be a reminder for those demonic fanatics that they cannot win.’

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