Prime Minister Boris Johnson and Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer have stood side-by-side to lay tributes to late Tory MP Sir David Amess.

The Prime Minister laid a wreath at the front of Belfairs Methodist Church, where Sir David was fatally stabbed on Friday.

Sir Keir was also present, and stood side by side with Mr Johnson outside the church.

Home Secretary Priti Patel and Commons Speaker Sir Lindsay Hoyle were also in attendance in Leigh-on-Sea, Essex, following yesterday's attack.

The Herald:

The Herald:

The politicians went up individually to the front of the church to pay their respects.

They then returned to their vehicles, escorted by a police convoy. They did not stop to talk to reporters.

It comes as the Metropolitan Police confirmed the fatal stabbing has been declared a terrorist incident.

Sir David Amess, 69, who had been an MP since 1983, was fatally injured while meeting constituents at the church near Southend at midday on Friday.

The Herald:

In a statement, the Met said Senior National Coordinator for Counter Terrorism Policing, Deputy Assistant Commissioner Dean Haydon, had formally declared the incident as terrorism.

The investigation is being led by counter-terrorism officers.

The early investigation has revealed “a potential motivation linked to Islamist extremism”, the force said.

The Herald: Sir David AmessSir David Amess

A 25-year-old man arrested at the scene on suspicion of murder is in custody at an Essex police station.

Official sources told the PA news agency the man is believed to be a British national with Somali heritage.

As part of the investigation, officers were also carrying out searches at two addresses in the London area, the Met said.