Labour MP dies after shooting

Jo Cox, Labour MP for Batley & Spen, was shot and stabbed in Birstall, in her constituency, early this afternoon, just before she was due to begin an advice surgery in the town’s library. Ms Cox was aged just 41 and she and her husband had two young children.

Eye witnesses have reported that a man, reported to be in his 50s and wearing a white baseball cap, was initially involved in a disturbance and Ms Cox then appeared and tried to calm the situation. The man wearing the baseball cap then produced a gun and shot Ms Cox twice and she fell to the floor and he then leaned over her again and shot her in the head. The assailant was tackled by a passer-by and he then produced a large knife and shrugged off the passer-by and began stabbing Ms Cox violently, and kicking her, as she lay on the ground. The assailant then wandered off, and nearby shop workers came out with towels to try to help the victim.

Ms Cox was left on the ground after the attack, bleeding and seriously injured. She was taken to Leeds Infirmary but was pronounced dead by a doctor who was working with paramedics in the hope of saving her.

A 77 year old man was also injured at the time of the attack and his injuries are not life threatening.

A 52 year old man was arrested by armed police near Market Street shortly afterwards. The police are not looking for any other suspects in connection with the incident and are due to attend some local places (thought to include the suspect’s home) and search them to try to establish guilt and a motive.  Investigations have begun, and initially the police believe this is an isolated incident.

Jo Cox was a local person and a high flyer, who had attended Cambridge University before becoming Head of Policy for Oxfam. She had moved over from this post, working out how to deal with the consequences of political decisions, to helping to make better political decisions in the first place. She was an adviser to Sarah Brown (wife of Labour Prime Minister Gordon Brown) and to Baroness Glenys Kinnock (wife of former Labour Prime Minister Neil Kinnock, who was later elected an MEP). She then came forward from working behind the scenes and was elected as MP for Batley & Spen at the last General Election, in 2015.

Ms Cox was very well respected in Parliament and in her constituency. She was known to have taken a particular interest in campaigning on humanitarian issues, such as helping Syrian refugees, and human rights. She was thought to have had a bright future ahead of her.

Mr Brendan Cox, Jo Cox’s widower, issued a statement saying that his wife would have wanted her children to be “bathed in love” and would have wanted to see an end to hatred in politics, from wherever it came.

Jeremy Corbyn MP, Leader of the Labour Party, issued the following statement:
“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 Cox had a lifelong record of public service and a deep commitment to humanity. She worked both for Oxfam and the anti-slavery charity, the Freedom Fund, before she was elected last year as MP for Batley and Spen – where she was born and grew up.
“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 Cox 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.”

The Prime Minister, David Cameron MP, and the Home Secretary, Theresa May MP, have both expressed their shock and sent their sympathy to Ms Cox’s family. Ms May has indicated that all campaigning on the referendum has been suspended for the day.

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