The family of the murdered MP Sir David Armis criticized the Home Secretary for calling for public inquiries about his death, accusing the government of “adding salt to open wounds.”
In a letter to Julia and Katie Amis, the Home Secretary said it was “it’s hard to see the inquiry how to go beyond” the trial of terrorist killer Ali Harbi Ali and the recently published Review of Prevention of Learning.
At an emotional press conference, Congressman’s daughter Katie Amess said she was “so angry that they thought they should deal with this situation and grief over the betrayal of those friends who claimed to be my father just worked hard and brushed us under the carpet again and again”.
Anise’s family hopes to openly inquire about the failure of the previous Conservative government in the murder case. Ali was mentioned for seven years of prevention before killing Amess on October 15, 2021, but his case ended in 2016.
Instead, Cooper will appoint an independent external examiner to explore the investigation work that has been completed and the findings of the review.
Mrs. Armis said in a statement from the family that Keir Starmer should “leave and reconsider the government’s position” before meeting with the Prime Minister and Cooper on Wednesday.
The daughter of the late MP said she felt “sad, betrayed, painful and heartbroken” to the government’s response.
The ISIS-inspired killer stabbed a veteran MP in a constituency surgery in Essex and was sentenced to a full-person order in 2022.
In a letter to the family, Cooper said she could not interfere with the coroner’s decision and therefore could not formally support the recovery of the colonial investigation required by the family.
Cooper said she had to refuse a request for a full public investigation because the coroner concluded: “No other question can be answered by such investigation, which has not yet been considered part of the trial.”
She wrote: “In this case, it is difficult to see how inquiry can go beyond the review at trial, preventing learning reviews, coroner’s report, and the upcoming conclusions that Lord Anderson and Essex Police will draw.
“I realize this is not the answer you are looking for. I’m still keen to discuss this with you at an upcoming meeting with the Prime Minister.”
Mrs. Armis said the government should reconsider its position “the security of all civil servants, and every citizen who deserves to know when the country fails”.
She said: “Despite our repeated calls, we were rejected one thing that could provide a true answer – a comprehensive public inquiry. To pour salt on the wound, Yvette Cooper now wrote us a totally unacceptable, frankly insulting us, confirming that the government will not issue an inquiry and that all investigations so far should satisfy us. Well, I can tell her they certainly did not.”
Mrs. Ames said of the Prime Minister’s expectations: “He must leave and reconsider the government’s position and call back to us to confirm that the investigation will be approved.
“It will assume responsibility not only for our families, but for the safety of all civil servants, and for every citizen who deserves to know the failure of the country, and take steps to ensure there is no duplication.”
Katie Amess said Cooper’s messenger had put her in “completely unquestionable”.
She said: “I feel bad for my father’s representation – he is no longer here to stick to himself, so I’m trying to do my best, but I’m absolutely heartbroken and Yvette Cooper can write this letter to my mother and me and I think we’ll just leave and accept that.
“It adds salt to the open wounds – that’s what I think. Sorrow, betrayal, pain and heartbroken.”
She added, in questioning what the Prime Minister and the Home Secretary said on Wednesday: “I just want to plead for my case and pray to God that they will change their minds and realize that my father is a man. He is not only a politician in a chess game, but also a human being.
“He is a husband, father, son, friend- he should be with us now if it is not a completely preventable action or no action taken. So I just try to talk to them on a human basis and hope they can see the perspective of his family, not just a political game.”
