Following the news that the Labour MP Jo Cox has died after being shot and stabbed in a brutal street attack, her husband Brendan has called on the public to ‘unite to fight against the hatred that killed her’. A number of politicians have paid tribute to the MP for Batley and Spen — who won her seat in the 2015 election — describing her as a woman of ‘remarkable spirit and passion’.
Gordon Brown says that both he and his wife Sarah — who worked closely with Cox on humanitarian issues — will be ‘forever scarred by this moment’:
‘Our memories will be for ever scarred by this moment. Our hearts will always be hurt at our country’s loss.
Jo Cox was the most vivacious, personable, dynamic and committed friend you could ever have. Whenever you talked to her, the compassion in her eyes and the commitment in her soul shone through. Years of public service advancing the causes she cared passionately about should have been ahead of her.
Sarah and I were privileged to work with Jo and her husband Brendan over many years and in her tireless efforts on behalf of poor and desolate children and mothers. She she went to some of the most dangerous places in the world. The last place she should have been in danger was in her home town.
People will say that this does not happen in Britain. This should not happen in Britain. And we must resolve that this will never again happen in Britain.
My and Sarah’s thoughts and prayers are with Brendan and their two young children Cuillin and Lejla this evening They will have all our support in the difficult days ahead. For them and for those of us who were Jo’s friends, this is a devastating day. And it is a devastating blow to our democracy.’
Sarah Brown has also released a personal tribute:
‘I am heartbroken. Jo had a truly remarkable spirit and passion that shone through in her work with Oxfam and with me on our countless campaigns for women and children.
Jo cared about everybody but she reserved a special place in her heart for the most vulnerable and the poorest citizens of the world.
She was fearless, she was endlessly upbeat and she reached out to so many to join her cause. Her mission was to make the world a better place.
But above all else Jo had utter devotion to her husband Brendan and their two children Cuillin and Lejla.’
Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn has said that his party will be ‘in shock at the horrific murder of Jo Cox’:
‘The whole of the Labour Party and Labour family – and indeed the whole country – will be in shock at the horrific murder of Jo Cox today. Jo had a lifelong record of public service and a deep commitment to humanity.
Jo was dedicated to getting us to live up to our promises to support the developing world and strengthen human rights – and she brought those values and principles with her when she became an MP. Jo died doing her public duty at the heart of our democracy, listening to and representing the people she was elected to serve. It is a profoundly important cause for us all.
Jo was universally liked at Westminster, not just by her Labour colleagues, but across Parliament. In the coming days, there will be questions to answer about how and why she died.
But for now all our thoughts are with Jo’s husband Brendan and their two young children. They will grow up without their mum, but can be immensely proud of what she did, what she achieved and what she stood for. We send them our deepest condolences. We have lost a much loved colleague, a real talent and a dedicated campaigner for social justice and peace. But they have lost a wife and a mother, and our hearts go out to them.’
In the aftermath of the attack, all campaign events have been cancelled, while the BBC have announced that tonight’s scheduled Question Time will no longer take place.
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