Sir Robert Buckland Appointed to Lead Review into Sir David Amess Murder
Former Conservative justice secretary Sir Robert Buckland KC has been appointed to lead an independent review into state failings prior to the murder of MP Sir David Amess in 2021. The Home Secretary, Shabana Mahmood, wrote to the Amess family on Monday to confirm the appointment, following a meeting with Sir David's daughter, Katie Amess, in January.
Family's Response and Calls for Public Inquiry
In response to the announcement, Katie Amess told the Press Association that her family would engage with the review in "good faith" but reiterated their long-standing demand for a "full statutory inquiry" into her father's death. She expressed gratitude for the appointment, stating, "Sir Robert is someone we respect and we welcome the opportunity to meet with him and ensure that the questions our family has been asking for years are finally addressed."
However, she emphasised the distinction between a review and a public inquiry, noting, "A review is not the same thing. Our father was murdered in circumstances that raise serious questions about security, prevention and whether opportunities were missed to stop what happened." She added that these issues are of national importance and that the family will continue to press for transparency and accountability.
Background of the Case
Sir David Amess was stabbed to death at his constituency surgery in Essex in 2021 by Ali Harbi Ali, a so-called Islamic State fanatic who was sentenced to a whole-life order for the murder the following year. Ali had been referred to the anti-radicalisation scheme Prevent seven years before the killing, but his case was closed in 2016. Last year, an independent review by Prevent commissioner David Anderson KC found that Ali's case under the scheme was deemed to have closed too early after "problematic" assessments.
Expertise and Previous Rejections
In her letter, Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood highlighted Sir Robert Buckland's "deep expertise and a thoughtful, sensitive approach." Sir Robert has previously served as secretary of state for Wales, prisons and probation minister, and solicitor general. This appointment comes after former home secretary Yvette Cooper previously rejected calls for an inquiry, which Sir David's widow, Lady Amess, and Katie branded as "totally unacceptable" and "insulting."
Ongoing Advocacy for Transparency
Radd Seiger, spokesman for the Amess family, described the appointment as a "serious and credible one" but echoed the family's stance on the need for a public inquiry. He stated, "The appointment of Robert Buckland is a serious and credible one, and the family will engage constructively with him. However, this announcement does not resolve the central issue."
He explained that a review lacks the powers of a statutory public inquiry, such as compelling evidence or testing it in public. "This case raises profound questions about how a serving Member of Parliament could be murdered in a constituency setting and whether there were systemic failings in prevention, intelligence or protection," Seiger said. He concluded that the family will participate in shaping the review's terms of reference but remains committed to pushing for a full public inquiry to ensure proper scrutiny.
