Home Secretary rejects calls from Sir David Amess’s family for public inquiry
Sir David’s widow and daughter described the letter as ‘unacceptable’ and ‘insulting’.
The Home Secretary has rejected calls from the family of Sir David Amess for a public inquiry into his death in a letter branded “unacceptable” and “insulting” by the murdered MP’s widow and daughter.
In the letter addressed to Lady Julia Amess and Katie Amess, Yvette Cooper said it was “hard to see how an inquiry would be able to go beyond” terrorist killer Ali Harbi Ali’s trial and the recently published Prevent learning review.
In a statement to the PA news agency, Lady Amess said Sir Keir Starmer should “go away and reconsider the Government’s position” ahead of the family’s meeting with the Prime Minister and the Home Secretary on Wednesday.
Ali had been referred to Prevent seven years before he killed Sir David on October 15 2021, but his case was closed in 2016.
The so-called Islamic State fanatic stabbed the veteran MP at his constituency surgery in Essex and was sentenced to a whole-life order in 2022.
Sir David’s family received a letter rejecting their call for a public inquiry into the case on Thursday.
“I am aware that you have since requested a full public inquiry.
“As you will know, the coroner looked carefully at whether to resume an inquest into Sir David’s death following the criminal trial, but concluded there were no additional questions that could be answered through an investigation of this kind, that had not already been considered as part of the trial.
“In the circumstances it is therefore hard to see how an inquiry would be able to go beyond what has been reviewed in the trial, Prevent learning review, coroner’s report, as well as Lord Anderson and Essex Police’s forthcoming conclusions.
“On that basis, the Government cannot establish a public inquiry.”
She continued: “I realise this is not the answer you were looking for.
“I remain keen to discuss this with you in the forthcoming meeting with the Prime Minister.”
Lady Amess said the Government should reconsider its position for the “security of all public servants, and for every citizen who deserves to know that when the state fails”.
She said: “Despite our repeated calls, we have been denied the one thing that can provide real answers — a full public inquiry.”
“To pour salt on the wound, Yvette Cooper has now written us a totally unacceptable and, quite frankly, insulting letter confirming that the Government will not order an inquiry, and that all the investigations to date should satisfy us.
“Well, I can tell her they most certainly do not.”
Addressing what she expected from the Prime Minister, Lady Amess said: “He must go away and reconsider the Government’s position and call us back in to confirm that an inquiry will be granted.
“Not just for our family, but for the security of all public servants, and for every citizen who deserves to know that, when the state fails, it will be held accountable and that steps will be taken to ensure there is no repeat.”
She added: “I felt so, so angry that this was how they felt this should be dealt with and such sadness at the betrayal of people that are claiming to be my dad’s friends just fobbing us off again and again and brushing us under the carpet.
“I felt so sad on my dad’s behalf – he isn’t here any more to stick up for himself so I am trying to do that as much as I can, but I’m just absolutely heartbroken that Yvette Cooper could write this letter to my mother and I and think that we’re just going to go away and accept this.
“It’s adding salt onto an open wound – that’s how I see it. Sadness, betrayal, pain and just heartbreak really.”
“He was a husband, a father, a son, a friend – he should still be here with us now if it wasn’t for completely preventable actions or the actions that weren’t taken.
“So I’m just going to try and speak with them on a human basis and hope that they can see the point of view of his family and not just a political game.”
“We understand that the Amess family are still looking for answers and we take this incredibly seriously.
“While we do not think a public inquiry would unearth any information that has not already been assessed, the Home Secretary has confirmed that we will further scrutinise all the reviews that have taken place over the last few years. We very much hope this will help the family to get the justice they deserve.”
