'We must stand firm against hatred': PM's message ten years on since death of MP Jo Cox
Prime Minister pays tribute to murdered MP Jo Cox ten years on
The Prime Minister has today warned that we must continue to “stand firmly against hatred and division” ten years on since the death of West Yorkshire MP Jo Cox.
The Batley and Spen MP was killed on June 16 2016 in the constituency she loved and served.
Keir Starmer’s message comes just days after her her sister MP Kim Leadbeater warns there is more division, threats and abuse than ever before.
Reflecting on what the country presently looks like, Kim said: “When Jo was killed, for a short period of time, people seemed to say all of the right things, how could this have happened, this isn’t acceptable, this isn’t what our politics looks like, this isn’t what our country looks like, we must do things differently.
“And there was talk of a more compassionate approach to politics and more kindness.
“And sadly, if I am being honest, that was very short-lived. And I think it is fair to say, a decade later, we are seeing more division, more anger, certainly more threats and abuse and intimidation directed at elected people. I include politicians, MPs and local councillors in that.”
She fears that the toxic nature of political debate would force people to step away from the limelight and choose not to enter the world of politics.
Prime Minister Keir Starmer said: “Ten years on from Jo’s death, we remember her with renewed determination to carry forward the values she lived by.
“Jo believed, fundamentally, that we have far more in common than that which divides us and that conviction remains a living call to action for all of us.
“At a time when those values are being tested, her legacy feels as vital and urgent as ever.
“The best way to honour her memory is to stand firmly against hatred and division, to bring communities together, and to show, through both big acts and small, the compassion, decency and solidarity that define our nation at its best.
“Jo’s legacy endures in the communities she inspired, the people she brought into public life, and the countless acts of kindness carried out in her name.
“We will continue to carry her spirit with us, in our work, in our politics, and in our determination to build a more united and hopeful Britain.”