#JoCox: Batley and Spen MP Jo Cox slain in Birstall, West Yorkshire

Jo Cox, the 41-year-old Labour MP for Batley and Spen, was killed after being stabbed and shot in the street outside the library in Birstall, West Yorkshire, where she held her regular constituency surgery. She was pronounced dead at 1.48pm on Thursday (16 June). 

A 52-year-old man, named in reports as Thomas Mair, has been arrested. Mair lived locally and was known to have had mental health problems. There are reports that he had links to far-right groups. Eye-witnesses said he shouted “Britain first” as he attacked Cox, with what witnesses described as a hunting knife and a “home-made” gun.

A 77-year-old man who apparently tried to help Cox was also injured, although not seriously. Brendan Cox, the MP’s husband, said his wife “would have no regrets about her life – she lived every day of it to the full”. The couple have two young children.

He added: "I and Jo’s friends and family are going to work every moment of our lives to love and nurture our kids and to fight against the hate that killed Jo. Jo believed in a better world and she fought for it every day of her life."

Campaigning in EU referendum suspended

Chancellor George Osborne eschewed his Mansion House speech on the EU on Thursday night to instead make a brief statement: "The referendum is a great exercise in democracy. But the campaign has been suspended, on both sides, out of respect for Jo and her family – and for that democracy that she served. One of the virtues of our parliamentary democracy is the everyday accessibility of MPs to the people they represent. It’s what makes the way we govern ourselves very different from many others. We believe in freedom, liberty and justice. Today’s horrible events are an assault on all of these values."

Rosena Allin-Khan, who last night won the Tooting byelection for Labour, discarded her victory speech to pay tribute to her colleague: "Jo’s death reminds us that our democracy is precious but fragile – we must never forget to cherish it."

Both sides in the EU referendum will suspend campaigning on Friday as a mark of respect for Jo Cox. Both sides have cancelled all events for Friday. UKIP will not go ahead with a planned poster launch, Economists for Brexit scrapped a press conference, and many Labour MPs are too shocked and grief-stricken to consider campaigning.

Some MPs have called for parliament to be recalled to allow colleagues to pay tribute to Cox in the House of Commons.

Jo Cox also worked for Oxfam and Oxfam International between 2001 and 2009 in a variety of different roles. As head of Oxfam's Brussels office she spearheaded Oxfam's campaign for trade reform. In 2005 she joined Oxfam GB as head of advocacy.  Jo was a passionate advocate on humanitarian issues including the conflicts in Darfur and the Democratic Republic of Congo. Her commitment to humanitarian issues led her to become head of humanitarian campaigns for Oxfam International in New York in 2007 for two years.

Max Lawson of Oxfam who worked closely with her said: "Jo was a diminutive pocket rocket from the north. She was as a ball of energy, always smiling, full of new ideas, of idealism, of passion. She gave so much to Oxfam.

"She was an inspiring leader, really bringing the best out of all of us, always positive, always believing we could win, and always passionate for change. She was particularly brilliant at bringing huge energy to our campaigning around the desperate humanitarian crisis in Darfur."

Oxfam GB's Chief Executive Mark Goldring said:  "Oxfam is proud of the role that Jo played in our work over a decade. Many of our colleagues remember her fondly. The rest of us followed her work with admiration. She never lost her passion for peace, justice and equality. Everyone is deeply shocked to hear the news. Our thoughts and sympathies are with Brendan and Jo's family at this difficult time."

In the European Parliament, S&D Group President Gianni Pittella said:
“We are all greatly shocked and saddened by the news of the horrific murder of UK Labour MP Jo Cox. Jo Cox had spent time working with the Labour Party in the European Parliament and was a powerful advocate of progressive causes. The thoughts of everyone in our group are with her family and friends at this terrible time.”

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