“Sir David was a passionate advocate of animal welfare and a long-time supporter of Cats Protection. From being a member of our Southend Branch to playing an active role in our national campaigns, Sir David’s commitment to helping us improve cat welfare was enormous.

“As well as attending Cats Protection events in Westminster and his constituency over many years, Sir David was always happy to lend his considerable expertise to our work to improve the lives of cats.  We will always be grateful for the positive impact he has made in improving animal welfare in the UK.

“Our thoughts are very much with Sir David’s family and friends at this terrible time.”