The Conservative MP Sir David Amess has been stabbed multiple times while holding a constituency surgery, his office and police have said. A man has been arrested.

The veteran MP, who has represented Southend West in Essex since 1983, was attacked at Belfairs Methodist church in Leigh-on-Sea, Sky News first reported.

Staff at Amess’s office said they did not know any further details and were awaiting updates.

In a brief statement, Essex police said a man had been arrested following an incident in Leigh-on-Sea.

They said: “We were called to reports of a stabbing in Eastwood Road North, Leigh-on-Sea, shortly after 12.05pm today. Officers were on scene shortly after, arrested a man and recovered a knife. He is currently in custody.

“We are not looking for anyone else in connection with the incident and do not believe there is an ongoing threat to the wider public. We want to thank the public who alerted us to the incident so quickly.”

The Sky report said a man walked into the constituency surgery and stabbed the MP a number of times, and that Amess was receiving treatment at the scene.

The incident will raise further concerns about the safety of MPs, who routinely hold advice surgeries at which anyone can turn up. In 2016, the Labour MP Jo Cox was stabbed to death by a far-right terrorist shortly before holding a surgery.

In 2010, another Labour MP, Stephen Timms, was stabbed twice at a constituency surgery by a student radicalised by online videos. In 2000, an assistant to the Liberal Democrat MP Nigel Jones was stabbed to death as he tried to protect Jones from an attacker who stormed his constituency office armed with a sword.

Amess, 69, is a well-known backbencher who has never held a ministerial or shadow ministerial post during his 38 years in parliament, instead campaigning on issues including animal rights. He is married with five children.

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