Ludlow MP to continue with online surgeries 'for the time being' in wake of MP's murder
Ludlow MP Phillip Dunne has said he will continue to hold surgeries online 'for the time being' in the wake of the murder of his colleague Sir David Amess.
Mr Dunne called the attack in Leigh-on-Sea in Essex 'an assault on open democracy'.
He explained that he would keep going with telephone and virtual surgeries, which originally began as a result of the pandemic.
He said: "The big issue for us all I think is to ensure that we can continue to go about our daily business being representatives in an open democracy.
"As it happens since the wretched Covid pandemic I've not been having regular surgeries in person, I've been talking to people on the phone, doing virtual meetings and I think for the time being I shall continue that."
Mr Dunne added that he did not have 'direct safety concerns' with regards to his own work, but added that he, like many others, suffers from 'the usual ritual abuse on social media'.
In tribute to his former colleague, Mr Dunne said: “Having taken some time to reflect over the weekend, I can say only that the tragic murder of Sir David Amess is a devastating blow to all who knew him.
"That his life was taken while he was doing his job as a conscientious constituency MP, was an assault on us all, and in particular on the open democracy which we are proud to practice in this country.
"This is an utterly devastating event for the Amess family and the body politic.
"He was a good and decent man, in politics for all the right reasons.
"I know he would not want the tragic circumstances of his death to deflect or deter us from doing our jobs as MPs, nor break the bond that we gain from being readily accessible to our constituents.
"The House of Commons today pays tribute to Sir David, where I hope to offer a few short remarks.”
