i'm ben boulous, live in leigh—on—sea, where the killing of the mp david amess is being treated as a terrorist incident. police say there is a potential link to islamist extremism, and counter—terrorism officers are searching two addresses in the london area. side by side in grief — the prime minister and leader of the opposition visit the scene as tributes are paid from across politics. he was a man of the people. he was absolutely there for everyone. he was a much loved parliamentarian. to me, he was a dear and loyalfriend. the killing has resurfaced the dilemma facing mps over security at their surgeries and

whether it would be safer to hold them virtually. we do not want to become like other countries. other mps, when they visit us, they are aghast that we actually meet our constituents face—to—face. i think we want to carry on doing that. and i think we can, but we have got to do it in a way which is safer. i'm ben thompson. also this hour: questions asked about how a covid pcr testing lab, that recorded thousands of inaccurate results, won a multi—million pound government contract. uncovering the secrets of the solar system — a new nasa mission aims to learn more about how the planets were created.

hello, welcome to leigh—on—sea in essex where the community here is grieving the loss and coming to terms with the sudden, horrific and violent killing of the man who has served as their mp for more than 20 years. sir david amess a much loved local politician, and that is seen in the growing flowers and messages that have been left hour by hour people coming to lay their own flowers, to reflect, to pausejust close to the scene where the events of yesterday unfolded about 2k hours ago. 0thers of yesterday unfolded about 2k hours ago. others have come, as well. not just people who live locally, but those who hold the highest office in the land. the prime minister, borisjohnson, and the labour leader, sir keir starmer, have visited the scene where the mp, sir david amess, was killed during a constituency surgery yesterday. police are treating his death as a terror incident.

it was an event he would have held many times over the years, countless times, to meet the constituents that he represented. police are treating his death as a terror incident. the metropolitan police said there was a potential link to islamist extremism. there have been tributes paid from across the political spectrum. the prime minister, borisjohnson, has described him as one of the kindest, nicest, most gentle people in politics. so lindsay hoyle said the much loved mp was a bright light of parliament. he also came to leigh—on—sea to pay tribute and share memories. labour's leader circular starmer held his profound sense of public duty. priti patel also came to leigh—on—sea and spoke also came to leigh—on—sea and spoke a little bit more about sir david. we are all struggling to come

to terms with the fact that david amess has been so cruelly taken away from all of us. less than 2a hours ago, david was on his own constituency, doing a local advice surgery, which is something that all mps do week in, week out. and of course david, as i knew him and as we all knew him, was just a passionate advocate and champion for southend, this wonderful, wonderful town. and with that, of course, he was a man of the people. he was absolutely there for everyone. he was a much loved parliamentarian. to me, he was a dear and loyalfriend, but also he was a devoted husband and father. we think ofjulia and their children at this really sad time. they are in our thoughts and in our prayers. and of course you have seen some of the tributes that have been laid today for david, and i think that absolutely reflects the warmth, love and affection that people locally had for him. and the prime minister and i today have come here to pay our own respects and our tributes to david, while also paying respects to the emergency services,

and the police in particular, who responded yesterday with both great speed, but also with selfless professionalism, as ever putting themselves in harm's way to protect the rest of us. now, clearly there is a live police investigation taking place right now. there are obviously discussions around mp security, too. and when we think of david, david himself, man of the people, he was killed doing a job that he loved, serving his own constituents as an elected democratic member. and of course acts of this are absolutely wrong and we cannot let that get in the way of a functioning democracy. so that is why there are measures under way right now, i have convened meetings yesterday, i have been with the speaker of the house and with the police and our security services, to make sure that all measures are being put in place for the security of mps so that they can carry on with their duties as elected democratic members.

but all our thoughts right now are absolutely with david and david's dear, dearfamily. this is an absolutely tragic time. we hold them close, we absolutely hold them close in our thoughts and our prayers. and we know this is a town that is grieving, as well, because david... david was there advocate, he was their champion. and i also say this as an essex mp, he was a neighbour of mine, he was deeply loved and warmly regarded and respected. thank you. the police have talked about a potential link with islamist extremism. you have been in a police briefing this morning. what more can you say about that aspect to this investigation? well, first of all, this is a live police investigation. it is not for me to discuss or comment on any aspects of important policing work. that is absolutely integral to this investigation. we had a cabinet minister today talking, saying that no mp is safe.

you are an mp, you carry out surgeries, how safe do you feel? well, i think it is important for all members of parliament, and i have been a member of parliament myself for ten years, look at david, you know, decades as an elected representative, man of the people, going out, doing his duties, we carry on doing our duties. we live in an open society, a democracy where we are accessible to the people. that is right and proper. we have measures in place to safeguard our mps. there have been a lot of lessons that have been learnt over recent years following the appalling murder of ourformer dear colleague, jo cox. and other parliamentarians, too. those measures are always under review. there is a review that is under way, has been under way in the last 2a hours. there is direct communication is taking place right now, took place yesterday, as well, with mps. all 600 plus mps as to their

whereabouts, what they are doing in their constituencies to make sure that they are protected so that they can go around serving their constituencies in that open way, but in a safe way. it is important that that continues. but how do you balance safety with the democratic process of allowing voters to meet their mps? it can be balanced. it can absolutely be balanced, and it has been balanced, as well, through all the policing measures that have been put in place. there are measures in terms of policing, there are also measures that we have to undertake, as well, we take upon ourselves to protect ourselves in terms of surgeries, going around your constituency with those that know where you are going within policing, for example. so there are good measures in place. there will be further guidance that will go to mps, clearly, which is led by the speaker of the house, who i am working with, i constantly work with the speaker to ensure that the engagement

is there, the support is there, the guidance is there. but importantly, those connections with local policing in local constituencies for local mps to make sure that mps can go around doing what they are elected to do, while also protecting our communities and the citizens across our communities. but will this be the end to face—to—face meetings with mps? we are open to surgeries, doing ourjob. we will continue to do that. and let's not forget, let's think about david right now, as well, i have already described david, he was a dearfriend of mine, and a loyalfriend and colleague, a man of the people, he was killed serving his own constituents and constituency members. we will carry on, we absolutely... we live in an open society, a democracy. we cannot be cowed by any individual or any motivation, people with motives to stop us functioning to serve our elected democracy.

so, on that basis, we have measures in place. we will continue to review and strengthen measures, and rightly so. the speaker and i will continue to support mps. policing will continue to support mps. that work is under way. and, you know, we will continue to absolutely stand by the principles that we are elected by, to serve our constituents. in the open way in which we have been doing so. but also recognising that there are safety and protection measures that we are... we have to undertake, too. the home secretary priti patel speaking a little earlier today. of course, the police investigation continues. we know it is being led by the metropolitan police�*s counter terrorism command. that is more than just a administrative designation. it brings a huge amount of resources. they will be doing, as well as questioning the 25—year—old man, the suspect they have in

custody, they will be scouring cctv footage. if they have got hold of computers or mobile phones, bank cards, piecing together the suspect�*s movements leading up to what happened yesterday. they are also appealing for anyone who is in the area who may have 7 cam footage, one of those smart door bells, or anyone who wish to screen pass to sort something that may be relevant to contact police as they try to establish exactly what led to the fatal stabbing just 2a hours ago. joining me now isjohn mcnally, the snp mp for falkirk. john, i understand you were due to have a phone call with sir david amess shortly after the surgery that he was holding yesterday. of course, that never came to pass. your reaction to what has happened here. absolutely devastated. sir david has

been murdered in this horrific way. he was a good family man. i think, frankly, he has been taken away from us in such a brutal manner has just left as bewildered about what we do in public life. left as bewildered about what we do in public life-— in public life. john, this is mercifully _ in public life. john, this is mercifully a _ in public life. john, this is mercifully a rare - in public life. john, this is| mercifully a rare situation, in public life. john, this is - mercifully a rare situation, but not without precedent. this is the second time a serving mp has been killed while simply going about their duties, going face—to—face with their constituents to talk about the issues that they then take to westminster, to parliament to represent and to make decisions on. and yet here we are again speaking about how that ended so unexpectedly and so tragically. 0f about how that ended so unexpectedly and so tragically. of course, the situation with jo and so tragically. of course, the situation withjo cox, labour mp, in 2016, who was attacked and killed. now it's david amess. it must raise

questions in your mind about how you can do yourjob safely while still communicating and meeting your constituents. the communicating and meeting your constituents.— constituents. the meeting i was su - osed constituents. the meeting i was supposed to _ constituents. the meeting i was supposed to have _ constituents. the meeting i was supposed to have with - constituents. the meeting i was supposed to have with sir- constituents. the meeting i was supposed to have with sir david | supposed to have with sir david yesterday was about getting children in parliament, how to get them involved. that gives you an idea of how dedicated the man himself was. we were going to see what we could do to make that happen. the fact that that could not take place itself as a reminder of what we were trying to do together. it was also in a place in falkirk i was looking at that particular time, where i could meet people face—to—face, away from my office and my staff, in a secure place that i could conduct my affairs as the elected representative of falkirk stop that is myjob, to meet people face—to—face, my constituents, to hear their concerns and worries. as you know, there are a lot of people

who are under extreme stress. some are quite gentle people, but some are quite gentle people, but some are very volatile. i think we are all mindful and diligent that anything could happen to you. and you take as many precautions as you possibly can. but primarily, the police in scotland have been excellent with us. i am also mindful of my wife being left at home. she is on her own at home. she has got to have peace of mind that she can feel safe, as well as myself feeling safe. so that when you go out to meet people you are in a safe place as is possible to arrange for you. john, thank you very much indeed. apologies for the quality of the audio. we really appreciate you speaking to us and sharing your thoughts on this here on bbc news. we can talk now to reverend steve tinning, a minister at the leigh road baptist

church, who has worked with david amess extensively. what will his abiding memory be in your mind and the contribution he made to the community that you also serve? ., ~ made to the community that you also serve? . ~' ,, made to the community that you also serve? ., ~ i. ., ., serve? thank you for inviting me to share those — serve? thank you for inviting me to share those memories _ serve? thank you for inviting me to share those memories with - serve? thank you for inviting me to share those memories with you. . serve? thank you for inviting me to i share those memories with you. david was everything that everybody is saying he was. there is so little to add to that. he was a true constituent mp who showed great care and wonderful listening skills to his community. he always put the community he served, the constituency say 7 my constituency he served in front of his ambition. he was accessible to all, whatever their age or political background. i will miss him deeply. we built up quite a relationship, particularly around his support of local refugees. and in conversation with him about national views of refugees, it is tragic to hear the

baby investigation is progressing, to think that islamic extremism might be responsible for this. david's commitment to the muslim community of this town was extraordinary. i was on the phone this morning to a muslim refugee that david had helped overfive years race with the home office and build a case to have them reunited with a son they were separated from after the war in syria broke out. he is devastated, he is heartbroken that this man who had shown such care and love for his family, and ultimately resulted in the reunion of their family, you ultimately resulted in the reunion of theirfamily, you know, has gone. 0n of theirfamily, you know, has gone. on september 11 this year, david was at my church. we held an event raising funds for a community sponsorship programme to bring more refugees to the town. david was there, he won the raffle. i have got a prizejust in there, he won the raffle. i have got a prize just in front of me that he did not know he had one. and i had been saving to present to him at the next opportunity that we met. which

i knew would not be far away because he was so accessible. and never omitted to replying to an e—mail or a text or a phone call. it is truly heartbreaking.— a text or a phone call. it is truly heartbreaking. a text or a phone call. it is truly heartbreakin.. . ., ., , heartbreaking. reference, i mean, as i seak heartbreaking. reference, i mean, as i s - eak to heartbreaking. reference, i mean, as i speak to you. _ heartbreaking. reference, i mean, as i speak to you, reviewers _ heartbreaking. reference, i mean, as i speak to you, reviewers cannot - i speak to you, reviewers cannot see, but out of the corner of my eye, a young girl is working with some flowers to lay. there have been people young and old throughout the day coming here, trying to come to terms, come to understand, make sense of what happened. at times like this, they will look to people like this, they will look to people like yourself, to community readers, to members of the clergy to offer some hope, some comfort. yet at a time when you must be struggling to make sense of it all, what can you offer the community here by way of words of reassurance and comfort. thank you. i mean, ifound it hard to explain it to my own children

yesterday, he met david on several occasions. a six seven—year—old and nine—year—old child trying get their head around why this man who had loved their community and met with him had now gone. ispared loved their community and met with him had now gone. i spared them the details. to be fair, david had a strong christian faith of his own that was well spoken about at the vigil at the catholic church yesterday. i was able to share my reflections on him and his personal faith, and the way that that interacted with him and the politics that he had and shared. i guess for us it is extremely difficult in the immediate aftermath of such a tragedy to speak words of hope, but this morning my inbox is full of church ministers and community leaders asking what they can do in solidarity with the community. i know that there are services over the weekend across the whole town, paying tribute to david. there will be places where others can light

candles and reefs. we can offer some sincere and heartfelt prayer. but in the immediate aftermath, it is extremely difficult to express hope. david's hope, though, was on his face. we believe that he has hope beyond this life. —— and his faith. we express some of that, but i appreciate for those who do not share david's faith, this is an extremely difficult time, and we will be there in whatever way we can. i will be there in whatever way we can. ., , will be there in whatever way we can. . , ., , will be there in whatever way we can. . , , will be there in whatever way we can. i am sure many players will be set throughout _ can. i am sure many players will be set throughout southend and - can. i am sure many players will be i set throughout southend and beyond for david and his family. reverend steve tinning, thank you very much. another element to all of this is the question of safety of mps. the labour mp harriet harman has called for a speaker's conference to be convened. that is something that crosses party political lines to discuss the issue of how to keep mps say. she spoke to me about that a little earlier.

everybody with having worked in common cause with them is feeling shocked and feeling a sense that this has been an attack on and that is why we have to really think about how we enable us as mps to do our work, to engage with our constituents, but do so in a safe way. and this cannot be just left to the government are left to the police. we have to have that discussion as a parliament about what we need to change to make sure that we can keep that engagement with our constituents which are so precious and such a distinctive part of the uk's democracy, but not have a situation where this is the second murder of an mp in five years. we cannot say that as a price worth paying for our democracy. 0bviously when something as shocking and unexpected

and tragic as this happens, it focuses people's attention on matters of security, personal safety, but ijust wonder in the years that you have been in parliament, as it always something that has been on your mind or is it only in recent years you have called for this speaker's conference to be convened. just explain for our viewers what that means and what that could achieve potentially. a speaker's conference is a very rare process. it only has happened about once every ten years in the recent past. it is where parliament meets to discuss and decide on something and report on it on an issue which affects the whole of parliament. and it would be the speaker bringing together all parties, and actually having a deliberation which allows mps to discuss how we balance this democracy and then issue a report. after the killing ofjo cox, we have had more security in our homes and more security in the house of commons, but we did not fully address the issue of security in the constituency. i think that is what we need to do now. i do not want to pre—empt

what other mps would say, but i think that there is a balance between saying we do not need to meet our constituents at all except on zoom or on the other hand we carry on with business as usual. it is safer, for example, if you meet your constituents by appointment only. it is safer, for example, if you meet them by appointment only and in the town hall where there is security, but at low level which is unlikely to deter people. but i think all of these things can be discussed. the thing is that mps come in all shapes and sizes now, and that is a strength of our democracy. we have got women mps, we have got pregnant mps, we have got mps with disabilities. we want a system of doing our work which enables all of them, all of them who represent all sorts of different people in this country, to do that engagement, but do it in a safe way. we do not want to become like other countries, other mps when the visit us, they are aghast that we actually meet our constituents face—to—face.

i think we want to carry on doing that. and i think we can, but we are going to do it anyway which is safer. the labour mp harriet harman speaking to me a short time ago. let's pick up on that issue of how to keep mps and their staff and theirfamilies safe. philip grindell runs specialist security firm defuse. what sort of practical steps can be taken immediately, in your view, to keep mps safe, especially in the aftermath of something like this? good afternoon. firstly, obviously, i would like to send my condolences to sir david and his friends, family and colleagues. in answer to your question, what will be happening right now is that the team that i formally laid in parliament will be reaching out across the country to all of the liaison points in every force. they will then be contacting

every mp. and we will then establish what security measures they have taken up. because they are all offered a full package of security in terms of the protective security measures, but they do not all take it. they will be reviewing exactly who has what. and where there are obvious gaps, they will seek to encourage those mps to take up those additional measures and enhance their security. additional measures and enhance theirsecurity. but additional measures and enhance their security. but equally they will be looking to reassure mps that if there is additional measures they require or if they have particular concerns about any specific issues, any specific people that are causing them problems, then that will be addressed. 0f them problems, then that will be addressed. of course, once the dust settles and we know more about the methodology behind the attack on sir david, only then can they review whether that methodology and the security measures that are in place are correct and appropriate, or whether additional measures need to be introduced. hour

whether additional measures need to be introduced.— be introduced. how do our security arrangements _ be introduced. how do our security arrangements in _ be introduced. how do our security arrangements in the _ be introduced. how do our security arrangements in the uk _ be introduced. how do our security arrangements in the uk compare l be introduced. how do our security i arrangements in the uk compare with other countries in the protection they offer their politicians7 {iii they offer their politicians? of course, they are very different because every country is different, and every country's ways of operating are different. the threats are different. i am currently working with some of my us colleagues in central london, and of course discussing it with them. they have a far greater influence by firearms, so there is a very different threat that their politicians have two hours. so it is difficult, and perhaps not really appropriate, to compare country to country, because they all operate very differently. fik. country, because they all operate very differently.— very differently. 0k. philip, i do not want very differently. 0k. philip, i do rrot want to _ very differently. 0k. philip, i do rrot want to -- _ very differently. ok. philip, i do not want to -- i _ very differently. 0k. philip, i do not want to -- i do _ very differently. 0k. philip, i do not want to -- i do want - very differently. 0k. philip, i do not want to -- i do want to - very differently. 0k. philip, i do - not want to -- i do want to continue not want to —— i do want to continue our conversation, because there are many questions around the access thatis many questions around the access that is required for people to raise issues with their elected representatives and for those elected representatives to take those matters and represent them in

parliament. i dojust want those matters and represent them in parliament. i do just want to say goodbye to a reviewers on bbc world news. our coverage will continue throughout the day. we have updates from leigh—on—sea on the investigation. we continue on the bbc news channel. philip, letsjust pick up on that point about the inevitability of if you have access to mps, there is a degree of vulnerability. it somehow seems that thatis vulnerability. it somehow seems that that is unavoidable, that the competing pressures of those two requirements. i competing pressures of those two requirements-— competing pressures of those two reauirements. . ., , ., requirements. i am not sure i would term it in unavoidable, _ requirements. i am not sure i would term it in unavoidable, if— requirements. i am not sure i would term it in unavoidable, if you're - term it in unavoidable, if you're making that a connection with an attack. i think one of the challenges is that there has been a huge amount of advice and guidance provided to mps. not all of it has

been taken up. interestingly, listening to the section before this interview, with harriet harman, she made a comment around not much focus has been placed on constituency security. that is just not correct. there is a huge amount of work gone on constituency security because we recognised some time ago but that was the place where they were most vulnerable. there was a huge amount of advice around where they might hold their constituency surgeries, the manner in which they do that, and in fact i personally went and had a number of one—to—one meetings with mps across the country to review their particular settings and see how we might improve it. so, a huge amount of work has been done. the challenge has always been communicating that with every mp. and the fact that every mp operates differently in different environments, whether that is because they live in an urban environment or a rural environment. but, you know, all the options that

we provided were guidance and options. none of it was compulsory. if you went to different surgeries next friday, i am sure they would all look different.— next friday, i am sure they would all look different. anyone who has been through _ all look different. anyone who has been through westminster - all look different. anyone who has been through westminster or- all look different. anyone who hasj been through westminster or near westminster will be familiar with the tight security arrangements in place there to keep mps save when they are in their westminster offices. it is at at all feasible to consider replicating that level of security on constituency offices up and down the country. 7 h0. security on constituency offices up and down the country. ?_ security on constituency offices up and down the country. ? no, it would not be proportionate _ and down the country. ? no, it would not be proportionate either. - and down the country. ? no, it would not be proportionate either. the - not be proportionate either. the issue with having all the mps in one place within the centre of parliament, and all the other issues that go together with parliament, we are effectively protecting notjust the individuals at parliament but the individuals at parliament but the building and the infrastructure and everything else. that is very different to when you look at a local mp in their constituency. and so we would not be able to replicate that, norshould

so we would not be able to replicate that, nor should we replicated. in fact, on the subject of whether we would consider having police officers at every constituency, that would be something that an of a lot of members of parliament would not want. the reason they not what it is that for good reason constituents are coming to talk to them or complain to them about the police. they may not feel comfortable doing that if the first thing they do is go past a policeman stood at the door. equally, we would not have the resources to do that in terms of policing with all the various cutbacks etc. it is not a proportionate response. they have got the offer of security guards at every security meeting 7 my constituency meeting. that is not something that is taken up by every mp. what we need to do is what we are doing now, revealing who has got what, make sure mps are taking advantage of what is out there, listening to the advice, which will have to be reinforced once again. and really look at what has happened today, sorry, yesterday, to see whether there is any additional measures which need to be put in

place. measures which need to be put in lace. , , ,, . , place. philip grendel, security adviser to _ place. philip grendel, security adviser to mps. _ place. philip grendel, security adviser to mps. thank - place. philip grendel, security adviser to mps. thank you - place. philip grendel, security adviser to mps. thank you for | adviser to mps. thank you for speaking to us on bbc news. well, sir david amess was an mp for almost 40 sir david amess was an mp for almost a0 years. on friday, he was going to a constituency surgery to meet the people who elected him, and maybe some of those who had not elected him but wanted to raise issues with him, as he had done countless times over the decades he served as an mp. the difference, of course, being yesterday he never returned home from it. his family, his community, his colleagues are all grieving his loss. we will continue our coverage from leigh—on—sea here throughout the day. for now, let's take a moment to pause and check on the weather. hello. a fine enough start to the weekend for the vast majority, a bit more cloud around than yesterday but there are still some sunny spells out there. there will be a few spots of rain or drizzle pushing

into parts of scotland, maybe through eastern england this afternoon.