Katie Amess, the daughter of the late Conservative MP Sir David Amess, has expressed her deep concerns regarding the lack of answers following her father’s murder. Speaking on the BBC Radio 4 Today programme, she criticized the authorities for their failure to protect him and called for a thorough investigation. Sir David was stabbed to death by Ali Harbi Ali during a constituency surgery on October 15, 2021, and is currently serving a life sentence without parole.

The Home Office and Essex Police declined to comment on the case due to ongoing legal proceedings related to a claim initiated by Ms. Amess earlier this year. During her interview with Mishal Husain, Ms. Amess emphasized that there has been no accountability or clarity about the events leading up to her father’s death. She raised critical questions about why police did not act when an immediate threat was reported.

Ms. Amess revealed that her brother had received a threatening phone call the night before Sir David’s murder, warning that he would be killed, which was subsequently reported to the police. Although it was later determined that the call was unrelated, she insisted that law enforcement should have taken it seriously enough to provide protection at his surgery the next day. She argued that even one threat warranted a police response and suggested that had they acted on it, her father’s death might have been prevented.

Essex Police stated they began an investigation immediately after receiving the call and arrested two individuals; however, they clarified that officers are typically not assigned to security at MPs' surgeries. They emphasized that there was no connection between this incident and Sir David’s murder.

Moreover, Ms. Amess is advocating for a comprehensive examination of how Ali managed to evade national security measures despite prior referrals to the government’s counter-extremism program when he was a teenager. The senior coroner had previously ruled out resuming Sir David’s inquest due to insufficient evidence linking the Prevent program’s past interventions with his murder.

Despite this ruling, Ms. Amess expressed frustration at being denied an open inquest into her father’s death. She stressed that it is essential for preventing future tragedies and criticized the lack of accountability among those responsible for ensuring safety.

In December, she filed a personal injury claim against both the Home Office and Essex Police but noted that pursuing civil action would be financially prohibitive for her. The police acknowledged her claim but stated they could not comment further until proper legal procedures were followed.

Katie also paid tribute to her father, describing him as exceptionally dedicated and full of life while lamenting how difficult it has become for her to visit Southend without being reminded of him.