MPs have mixed views on security after Sir David Amess's death

Dudley North MP Marco Longhi has said it's time for change following the brutal fatal attack on popular MP for Southend West, Sir David, who was 69, at a church where he was holding a constituency surgery in Leigh-on-Sea, Essex, last Friday.

Sir David Amess MP

All have said they want to remain as accessible as possible but agree a review of security measures should now take place.

Dudley North MP Marco Longhi (pictured below), said he believes "something now must change".

He told the News: "Before I would have looked at my own safety and thought I can handle this but what this has shown is actually you can never really be too careful and there's my wife, my daughters and close family and friends who also want to see something done.

"I'm also of the opinion you have to stand up to this. It's an attack on democracy.

"I think something now must change and safety for members of Parliament needs to be reviewed. Risk can never be designed out but something can be done to improve it. I owe that to my family and friends and staff."

He said giving MPs personal electronic gadgets would not "stop a knife being thrust into your neck if that's about to happen" and that Sir David's attacker had pre-booked an appointment with the MP.

Mr Longhi added: "What would help would be an element of personal security - I'm not saying it should be police and not if you wanted to just nip out for a cup of coffee."

He said he still wants to be "completely accessible to everybody" and he wouldn't necessarily want to have a uniformed police presence but maybe a security guard able to "see a risk from afar". He added: " I think that's the kind of thing we really should be looking at."

"It's only fair on my family and staff and members of the public who could be involved in this. I'm taking this extremely seriously."

Halesowen and Rowley Regis MP James Morris, pictured below, said he would await the outcome of the review conducted by the Home Office and the House of Commons authorities to see what further safety measures they recommend and he added: "Regrettably we do have to take personal security into account a lot these days, and I also have to consider the duty of care I owe to my staff.

"I do however, remain determined to be as accessible as I can to the people of Halesowen and Rowley Regis, who elected me to serve them.

"Although the events of Friday have caused a profound sense of shock amongst my colleagues, we are all very clear that the democratic process and our obligations as representatives should continue."

Dudley South MP Mike Wood told the News he has "decent security" measures in place and that police have always provided advice and he added: "It's not going to stop someone who is determined. You can take sensible precautions but you can't let it take over your lives."

Mike Wood MP (Image: Mike Wood MP)

Stourbridge MP Suzanne Webb, pictured below, said: "I welcome a review into MPs’ security in the light of the terrible events of last week."

Police are treating the attack on Sir David as a terrorist incident.

A 25-year-old man, Ali Harbi Ali, was arrested at the scene on suspicion of murder, and later detained under the Terrorism Act.