David Amess latest: Boris Johnson and Keir Starmer visit Leigh-on-Sea to pay tribute

PA Media reports that Virginia Lewis-Jones, the daughter of Dame Vera Lynn and family friend of Sir David Amess, will add a tribute to the MP to the statue of her mother that the pair fundraised for.

Amess supported and helped launch the Dame Vera Lynn Memorial Appeal, working to have a statue erected in her honour after her death, although the target of GBP1.5 million has not yet been hit.

Lewis-Jones told BBC Breakfast: “I think in some way, David should also be remembered in the memorial for what he has done to this point and hopefully in spirit will continue to do.

“We’ve got to continue, not only for my mother but also for David for what he began and for what we will continue to do because it’s half his memorial as well.”

The prime minister and the Labour party leader, Sir Keir Starmer, stood side-by-side in a moment of silence outside Belfairs Methodist church in Leigh-on-Sea, Essex, to pay tribute to Sir David Amess.

Former Labour MP Jacqui Smith has called for everyone to think about their “attitude” towards MPs, how they treat them and how they talk about them, PA Media reports.

Ms Smith told BBC Breakfast: “We also need to think about the way in which our public life has become more divided, more toxic, and we need to take responsibility ourselves, through the media, through our own activities, through the way in which politicians themselves treat each other, for turning that around and recognising that an attack on a Member of Parliament is an attack on our democracy, we’ve all got a responsibility to protect that.”

MPs have been discussing the safety of MPs this morning.

The Labour MP Harriet Harman said she would write to the prime minister asking him to back a Speaker’s conference to review the safety of parliamentarians in their constituencies following the death of Sir David Amess.

Asked on BBC Radio 4’s Today programme whether the issue of MP safety has worsened since her election in 1982, Harman said: “Yes, it absolutely has.

“I think that, while we anguish about this dreadful loss, we can’t just assert that nothing should change.

“I don’t think anybody wants to go to a situation where the police are vetting individual constituents who come and see us, but I’m sure there is a safer way to go about our business.

“That’s why I’m proposing we have a Speaker’s conference, which is something that happens only once every 10 years or so where there is a major issue for parliament and our democracy, and the Speaker brings together the parties and the authorities and comes up with recommendations.

“Since Jo Cox’s tragic killing, we’ve had changes in our home security, we’ve had changes in security in parliament, but we haven’t looked at the issue of how we go about that important business in our constituency, but do it in a safe way – and I think we must do that now.

“We cannot have the death of an MP being a price worth paying for our democracy.”

Police forces are expected to contact all 650 MPs today as the Home Secretary ordered an immediate review of their security following the fatal stabbing of Conservative MP, Sir David Amess on Friday.

Police confirmed last night that the killing of Sir David was being linked to Islamist terrorism.

PA Media reports:

In a statement, the Metropolitan Police said Senior National Coordinator for Counter Terrorism Policing, Deputy Assistant Commissioner Dean Haydon, had formally declared the incident as terrorism.

The early investigation has revealed “a potential motivation linked to Islamist extremism”, the force said.

A 25-year-old man arrested at the scene on suspicion of murder is currently in custody at an Essex police station.

As part of the investigation, officers are currently carrying out searches at two addresses in the London area, the Met said.

The force believes the man acted alone and are not seeking anyone else in connection with the matter at this time but inquiries into the circumstances of the incident are continuing.