Andrew Mitchell MP has paid tribute to his longstanding friend and colleague Sir David Amess MP who was murdered last week while attending a constituency surgery in his Southend West constituency.

Andrew Mitchell said “David was an incredibly kind and thoughtful colleague. Arriving at the House of Commons 4 years after him in 1987 I was immediately struck by the trouble he took to ensure that new colleagues felt welcome. For the last 8 years he and I had neighbouring offices in the House of Commons and we regularly spoke on a wide range of issues including animal rights and our love of our dogs, particularly during the annual Westminster Dog of the year competition.

When Jo was murdered, I reviewed the security in my office in Sutton Coldfield and updated the arrangements for the safety of staff and colleagues based on expert security advice. I am satisfied that those changes were proportionate and remain the right approach for my office in the Royal Town.

I have been the MP for Sutton Coldfield for over 20 years and as I walk through the Town each week people frequently recognise me and stop me for a chat, often outlining their views for and against the Government or their concerns about particular issues and events. That is the very essence of representative democracy and I believe that this must not change.

It is the greatest honour to represent those who send us to the House of Commons to serve their interests and I have no intention of changing the way I try to look after the good people of Sutton Coldfield and the proximity and openness that goes with that.”

Andrew’s full tribute to Sir David:

The description on everyone’s lips of our friend David is that he was kind.

I first encountered that kindness when I arrived here 4 years after him in 1987, nearly 35 years ago. He took trouble with new colleagues who followed him and made us feel welcome when he saw us in the tea rooms or the corridors.

And, for the last 8 years he and I have had neighbouring offices on the third floor of 1 Parliament Street, where each year at Halloween, when anyone walked near his office the sound of a cackling ghoul would ring out along the corridor

At other times of the year a life size cut out of Mrs Thatcher would dominate the passageway ensuring we behaved ourselves and at Christmas he would put up a huge blow-up father Christmas and promote a festive atmosphere for all our staff that work so hard in 1 Parliament street.

We both competed in the Westminster dog of the year competition or to be more accurate his beloved pugs and my springer spaniel did.

There were lots of issues where David and I did not necessarily agree but it never for a moment got in the way of our friendship. He was a staunch Brexiter, it took me rather longer to appreciate the benefits of this great change, but he was not easy to pigeon hole politically. For example, he was one of the 26 on this side of the House that voted against the Government recently on the issue of international development policy.

He was disinterested in office and therefore much happier in this place as a result. Above all he served his constituents. He was the Secretary of State first for Basildon and then for Southend.

They took Jo Cox and now they have taken Sir David, it feels very much like they have taken the best of us.

Like others in this place, I can remember exactly where I was when I heard that my friend and mentor Ian Gow had been murdered by terrorists.

I can remember where I was when the bomb in the grand hotel went off that killed our colleague Sir Anthony Berry, where I was in Sutton Coldfield when I heard the awful news about Jo Cox and then on Friday the devastating news as I left Bishop Walsh school in the Royal Town after speaking to the sixth form there.

And the question I believe we should ask is this, what would those friends and colleagues murdered in the course of carrying out their democratic duty say? What would Sir David say we should conclude about those steps we now take as democratically elected representatives. This was an attack on the political process itself but above all on the political family of which we are all part even if at times we furiously disagree with one another.

And I believe they would say, be careful, be prudent but do not change that open, close and approachable relationship we all enjoy with our constituents. Otherwise the bad people have won.

When Jo was murdered like everyone else, I reviewed the security in my office in Sutton Coldfield and updated the arrangements for the security of staff and colleagues there.

But it is an honour, perhaps the greatest honour to represent those who send us here to serve their interests and I for one have no intention of changing the way I try to look after the good people of Sutton Coldfield and the proximity and openness that goes with that.

I do not think Sir David would wish it any other way for any of us.

Today like everyone else I am thinking of his wife Julia and his 5 children of whom he was so proud and I mourn the loss of a friend, a Father, a Husband and great servant of Parliament and of those he represented in this place.