After the tragic killing of Sir David Amess as he held his constituency surgery last Friday, I joined colleagues from all parties to pay tribute to him in Parliament yesterday.

I knew Sir David well, as he was a great supporter of animal rights and so our paths often crossed. It was therefore especially shocking to hear of his death, as I know first-hand how kind a person he was.

Many colleagues stood up to talk about Sir David’s commitment to his constituency, his warmth and his humour, but I wanted to also pay tribute to his many years campaigning for animal welfare that had won him respect across political divides. As I said in my speech, he was a rare Conservative voice against fox hunting in his early years as an MP, and he played an important part in winning over other Tories, to the extent that it’s now unlikely that we will ever see a repeal of the ban.

I hope that can be something Sir David is remembered for, alongside the positivity and kindness that characterised him as a Member of Parliament.

Watch my speech here.