Stephen Timms: MPs ‘must stay accessible’ following Sir David Amess attack

Labour MP Stephen Timms has called on MPs to remain accessible to their constituents, following the murder of Sir David Amess this month.

Timms was stabbed in 2010 during a constituency surgery, by Islamist extremist Roshonara Choudhry.

In an interview with the New Statesman, The MP for East Ham says that MPs needed to stay accessible to the constituents they serve. “I do regret it whenever we have to take those kind of steps, because it casts a shadow over everybody”.

“For me, that kind of personal relationship is quite important”, he added.

The Labour MP stressed that his own party could not afford to give up access due to the party’s recent electoral struggles.

“I think there are particular dangers for our party in being less accessible than we have been in the past”.

Timms says, “I think the Tory party probably could afford for its representatives to withdraw with less damage to their standing; their supporters would probably mind much less than ours.”