Labour MP murdered in shooting/stabbing incident

[Groningen]

What can one say. Words are not enough. At least they got the murderer, but ... To be honest i do not 1 single MP in the UK except Cameron and Corbyn, but her name will life forever. The other 2 shock deaths are that policewoman at the Libyan embassy Yvonne Fletcher in 1984 and Jill Dando in 1999.

 

[crispy1978]

Sickening attack. RIP Jo Cox, and condolences to her friends and family.

 

[Bald Rick]

This is a sad day for democracy, our values, and our way of life.

Many people have low opinions of MPs, and many people will disagree with what MPs say or do - in whatever official capacity they have. However they are elected by their constituents to represent them in our parliament. That is the whole basis of our democratic system.

In the last 10 years I have met over 100 MPs, and every one of them* was polite, eloquent, intelligent (some frighteningly so), willing to listen and bloody hard working. And all of them were doing it quite genuinely to improve society and the lives of people in this country. Frankly, for the work they do, they are underpaid (I realise this is not a commonly held view) and I wouldn't swap jobs with any of them; even if they got twice the pay. Indeed I couldn't do it, I'm not smart enough.

Tonight, every one of those MPs will be thinking 'it could have been me' - and it could have. What a sorry state of affairs that the people we elect to represent us in the running of our country can't do that without fear of their lives.

My deepest condolences to the family, friends and colleagues of Jo Cox.

* except one, who shall remain nameless. He was a complete fool, and after defecting to a party more suited to his way of thinking, his constituents thankfully voted him out.

 

[Busaholic]

In the last 10 years I have met over 100 MPs, and every one of them* was polite, eloquent, intelligent (some frighteningly so), willing to listen and bloody hard working. And all of them were doing it quite genuinely to improve society and the lives of people in this country.

* except one, who shall remain nameless. He was a complete fool, and after defecting to a party more suited to his way of thinking, his constituents thankfully voted him out.

Quite a reckless individual, by any chance? By the by, you obviously haven't come across the current incumbent for St Ives who, as well as being a creationist, believes all diabetes is entirely self-inflicted.

The people one should most feel sorry for now are Jo Cox's family, particularly her children. I knew what it was like to be aged 3 and suddenly have the person or people you most loved (two in my case) taken from you and, unfortunately, it colours the rest of your life.

 

[61653 HTAFC]

Quite a reckless individual, by any chance? By the by, you obviously haven't come across the current incumbent for St Ives who, as well as being a creationist, believes all diabetes is entirely self-inflicted.

The people one should most feel sorry for now are Jo Cox's family, particularly her children. I knew what it was like to be aged 3 and suddenly have the person or people you most loved (two in my case) taken from you and, unfortunately, it colours the rest of your life.

I met with Jo Cox on one occasion, and whilst we didn't agree on everything her warmth and humanity shone through. I only heard about this shocking incident through this thread and my post earlier may have been influenced by my emotional reaction to the news.

Although I only met her once and spoke to her a couple of times on the phone, I would consider her a friend and ally. It's all the more galling that the perpetrator may possibly have been suffering from mental issues as this is something that effects me, and was something that Jo Cox herself was concerned about in my conversations with her.

The world needs more like Jo Cox and she will be mourned by the many people she helped, myself included. Rest in Peace, Jo.

 

[TheNewNo2]

This rather reminds me of the Gabby Giffords shooting in Tucson, Arizona, a few years back.



I'd never heard of Jo Cox until yesterday, but from all I've read she seemed like a good person and devoted to her job. This is terrorism - the attempt to create politicial change via violent attacks. Another apt description might be assassination. Either way, this is a direct assault on British values and democracy.

 

[Antman]

This rather reminds me of the Gabby Giffords shooting in Tucson, Arizona, a few years back.



I'd never heard of Jo Cox until yesterday, but from all I've read she seemed like a good person and devoted to her job. This is terrorism - the attempt to create politicial change via violent attacks. Another apt description might be assassination. Either way, this is a direct assault on British values and democracy.

I'd never heard of Jo Cox until yesterday either, I would probably disagree with her on many things but she clearly was a lovely person.

I'm not sure calling this is terrorism is appropriate, the perpetrator apparently has mental health issues and whatever his motives were it would appear that he was acting alone. It was cold blooded murder and comes at a time when MP's are becoming increasingly concerned about their safety and clearly there is a fine balance to be struck.

 

[Senex]

This is a sad day for democracy, our values, and our way of life.

Many people have low opinions of MPs, and many people will disagree with what MPs say or do - in whatever official capacity they have. However they are elected by their constituents to represent them in our parliament. That is the whole basis of our democratic system.

In the last 10 years I have met over 100 MPs, and every one of them* was polite, eloquent, intelligent (some frighteningly so), willing to listen and bloody hard working. And all of them were doing it quite genuinely to improve society and the lives of people in this country. Frankly, for the work they do, they are underpaid (I realise this is not a commonly held view) and I wouldn't swap jobs with any of them; even if they got twice the pay. Indeed I couldn't do it, I'm not smart enough.

Tonight, every one of those MPs will be thinking 'it could have been me' - and it could have. What a sorry state of affairs that the people we elect to represent us in the running of our country can't do that without fear of their lives.

My deepest condolences to the family, friends and colleagues of Jo Cox.

* except one, who shall remain nameless. He was a complete fool, and after defecting to a party more suited to his way of thinking, his constituents thankfully voted him out.

Jo Cox was clearly a greatly talented woman whose personality touched all those with whom she came into contact. As a product of the area she represented and, from all that we have heard, with friends and admirers across the political spectrum, she may have been that real rarity, a genuine representative of her constituency. I should wish to associate myself strongly with all the expressions of horror at her assassination and of deep sympathy for her family that have been made. May Jo Cox rest in peace.

I cannot, however, combine my personal horror at what has happened and my sympathy for those touched by it with a paean of praise for the institutions. I don't believe we have a genuine democracy in this country and I'm not at all sure we have shared English or even British values and way of life any more (if we ever did). I have a very low opinion of most MPs (not improved by what has been going on in recent weeks) and I do not believe that we are given the opportunity to elect genuine representatives -- most MPs do not represent a majority of their constituents, and many of us will never have had the chance to elect an MP who might represent our political point of view.

You have met over 100 MPs. I don't think I have met any, even on the doorstep when we are told they are out and about canvassing to be re-elected. On the couple of occasions I have written to MPs they have merely functioned as a forwarding-service to a department. I do see most of them as being overpaid for what they do as a form of glorified local ombudsman.

When you go on to reflect that many of them will be thinking "It could have been me", I am much more in tune with you. Public life seems to have become very much nastier in recent years, and more and more people in ever more areas of it seem to have needed to retreat from easy public access behind greater and greater security, thus increasing the "them and us" sense and increasing the sense of powerlessness of those outside the charmed circles of power and influence -- and perhaps contributing to a vicious circle.

Is it possible to achieve a position where even those with utterly opposed views can hold a civilised debate, or have we really got to a position where vitriolic language and violent actions are the only things we understand and where a whole range of topics that -- whether some of us like it or not -- many people find important to them cannot be debated in public?

The Today programme is just reflecting on whether the terms of our political conversations need to be re-thought. Amen to that, as long as we don't look just at the conversations but also at the systems.

And after all that, back to the main point. May Jo Cox, who seems to have been a shining star in a pretty awful system, rest in peace, and may the young children who have lost their mother grow up to know how much their mother was esteemed, admired, and loved.

 

[pemma]

Jo Cox was clearly a greatly talented woman whose personality touched all those with whom she came into contact. As a product of the area she represented and, from all that we have heard, with friends and admirers across the political spectrum, she may have been that real rarity, a genuine representative of her constituency. I should wish to associate myself strongly with all the expressions of horror at her assassination and of deep sympathy for her family that have been made. May Jo Cox rest in peace.

...

I don't think I have met any, even on the doorstep when we are told they are out and about canvassing to be re-elected. On the couple of occasions I have written to MPs they have merely functioned as a forwarding-service to a department. I do see most of them as being overpaid for what they do as a form of glorified local ombudsman.

Mrs Cox had reportedly just been in a library talking to constituents when the incident happened yesterday. An MP talking to their own constituents in a public place is something I'm not very familiar with either - the last time I experienced that was when Martin Bell was a MP - over 15 years ago.

I'd only heard her name mentioned a couple of times before yesterday but it does seem the journalists didn't have to work hard to find genuinely positive things she had achieved in a short period as being a MP to report on.
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Terrible terrible incident, RIP and thoughts go out to her husband and children.

Indeed. Her children are 3 and 5 years old. I can't imagine how their Father could explain the death of their Mother to them at those ages, it would be difficult enough to explain the death of a grandparent due to natural causes.

 

[Tetchytyke]

I'm not sure calling this is terrorism is appropriate

I think it is entirely appropriate, given that the attack was on a politician working in the course of her duties as a politician it should definitely be considered an act of terrorism. People were happy to call the appalling murder of Private Lee Rigby a terrorist attack, and the murder of Jo Cox is even more so given she was killed whilst working as a politician.

An MP talking to their own constituents in a public place is something I'm not very familiar with either - the last time I experienced that was when Martin Bell was a MP - over 15 years ago.

The good ones on the backbenches tend to work very hard for their constituents, the MP in my old constituency in Newcastle was regularly seen out and about at places like the Sure Start centre where I took my child for playgroup. The MP in Hemel Hempstead was very good for the town too. The backbenchers have the time to dedicate to constituency matters, it isn't that frontbenchers don't care.

 

[PaulHarding150]

Mrs Cox had reportedly just been in a library talking to constituents when the incident happened yesterday. An MP talking to their own constituents in a public place is something I'm not very familiar with either - the last time I experienced that was when Martin Bell was a MP - over 15 years ago.

The vast vast majority of MPs, Councillors and other elected representatives hold public meetings and surgeries. Sadly we live in an age when it's far easier and more popular just to label them all as money grabbing self serving egotists.

 

[Steveman]

Appalling incident such a terrible shame.

 

[DarloRich]

Mrs Cox had reportedly just been in a library talking to constituents when the incident happened yesterday. An MP talking to their own constituents in a public place is something I'm not very familiar with either - the last time I experienced that was when Martin Bell was a MP - over 15 years ago.

It happens all the time. Mp's hold surgeries at their constituency offices and at public locations and make visits to all kinds of events and activities throughout their constituencies.

The vast vast majority of MPs, Councillors and other elected representatives hold public meetings and surgeries. Sadly we live in an age when it's far easier and more popular just to label them all as money grabbing self serving egotists.

Exactly. My MP represents a party I disagree with fundamentally and I disagree with his personal position ( as presented by the media) on many things. However I have had cause to contact him on a local issue of concern and he considered and acted upon my information without bias. He seems like a decent guy who wants to do a good job for people.

 

[Howardh]

Regarding cabinet ministers also being constituency mp's, I've often wondered how, for example, the PM can cover both roles. I know it's another layer, and expensive, but should each member of the cabinet have a person directly below them (a paid understudy) that deals directly with their constituents?

For example; if parents were blocking roads outside schools and not allowing services to pass easily, and my council did sod-all, I'd be seeking a chat with my MP to get them to do something. But not sure I'd feel I could bother my MP with something relatively trivial if he's the PM.

Not sure if that's a god example but I hope my point is made.

 

[pemma]

The vast vast majority of MPs, Councillors and other elected representatives hold public meetings and surgeries

I agree that most MPs hold surgeries. However, in the case of my MP he arrives in the area on a Virgin Trains' service from where he gets a taxi to and from his constituency office (where he holds the surgery) which is in the local Conservative club and if you want to go in to see him you either have to book an appointment in advance or be a member of the Conservative club. You certainly won't bump in to him by chance in the library.

 

[PaulHarding150]

I agree that most MPs hold surgeries. However, in the case of my MP he arrives in the area on a Virgin Trains' service from where he gets a taxi to and from his constituency office (where he holds the surgery) which is in the local Conservative club and if you want to go in to see him you either have to book an appointment in advance or be a member of the Conservative club. You certainly won't bump in to him by chance in the library.

I don't know who your MP is and to be frank I don't really care.

If your MP only turns up to his constituency for the very basic things that's an issue between him and his constituency.

The point is MPs and their offices are accessible to members of the public, if your MP only holds his surgeries in one place (his Conservative office rather than a public library) then that's a matter for him.

Jo Cox wasn't doing anything special or out of the ordinary yesterday, in the same way hundreds of MPs and thousands of Councillors won't be today or tomorrow. Which makes the situation even sadder.

 

[DarloRich]

I agree that most MPs hold surgeries. However, in the case of my MP he arrives in the area on a Virgin Trains' service from where he gets a taxi to and from his constituency office (where he holds the surgery) which is in the local Conservative club and if you want to go in to see him you either have to book an appointment in advance or be a member of the Conservative club. You certainly won't bump in to him by chance in the library.

Gideon by any chance?

I can see how it might be a bit different if the MP is a minster as their time is more limited and their security more "at risk" but making an appointment to see a busy person doesn't seem unreasonable.

It allows him or her to use the available time to the best advantage and prepare what he needs to talk about.

 

[Tetchytyke]

However, in the case of my MP he arrives in the area on a Virgin Trains' service from where he gets a taxi to and from his constituency office (where he holds the surgery) which is in the local Conservative club and if you want to go in to see him you either have to book an appointment in advance or be a member of the Conservative club.

Frontbenchers are a lot more difficult to get hold of, and if they are a senior Minister it gets even harder. Making an appointment seems reasonable.

I've only ever had issues getting hold of one MP, who lost his seat, only to be parachuted into a safe seat somewhere else in the country.

 

[pemma]

Gideon by any chance?

I can see how it might be a bit different if the MP is a minster as their time is more limited and their security more "at risk" but making an appointment to see a busy person doesn't seem unreasonable.

Yes but it's been like that since he was a junior Conservative MP on the opposition benches.

If your MP only turns up to his constituency for the very basic things that's an issue between him and his constituency.

The point is MPs and their offices are accessible to members of the public, if your MP only holds his surgeries in one place (his Conservative office rather than a public library) then that's a matter for him.

Jo Cox wasn't doing anything special or out of the ordinary yesterday, in the same way hundreds of MPs and thousands of Councillors won't be today or tomorrow. Which makes the situation even sadder.

The point that Senex originally made and I was echoing was that Jo Cox was making herself more accessible to her constituents than a number of MPs do and I think some of the responses are going a bit OT.

 

[DarloRich]

The Conservatives have indicated they will not contest the by election as a mark of respect towards to a much-loved and respected politician.

That is a generous and decent tribute.

 

[greatkingrat]

I understand why they have done it, but think it is the wrong decision. It would be better to stand a candidate to show that democracy will continue regardless, as happened when MP's were killed by the IRA in 70s and 80s.

 

[pemma]

I understand why they have done it, but think it is the wrong decision. It would be better to stand a candidate to show that democracy will continue regardless, as happened when MP's were killed by the IRA in 70s and 80s.

The Lib Dems and UKIP have also confirmed they won't contest the seat. The Greens, TUSC and the Patriotic Socialist who all contested the seat in the 2015 election haven't reported as saying anything. Hopefully as a mark of respect Labour pick a local natural successor to Jo opposed to just anyone the Corbyn administration would like to see in Westminster.

Going back to the original incident apparently the phrase shouted was "Put Britain first" with the far right group Britain First condemning the murder and saying it has nothing to do with them. Apparently Jo Cox was shot 3 times before being stabbed so I don't think there's any doubt the attacker should be facing murder charges not manslaughter charges.

 

[Antman]

Todays headline in the comic that is otherwise known as the Daily Star refers to the killer as a "Brexit gunman"!

 

[TheKnightWho]

Todays headline in the comic that is otherwise known as the Daily Star refers to the killer as a "Brexit gunman"!

Britain First being well-known for their support of the EU.

 

[Antman]

Britain First being well-known for their support of the EU.

What have Britain First got to do with it?

 

[Zoidberg]

What have Britain First got to do with it?

Presumably a reference to what the murderer is reported to have shouted, twice.

 

[Antman]

Presumably a reference to what the murderer is reported to have shouted, twice.

Well that hardly makes him a representative of Britain First, who have of course condemned the killing.

 

[GatwickDepress]

The community's response to this tragedy has been quite lovely. My thoughts with her family and especially her children. Growing up without a mother is never easy...

Todays headline in the comic that is otherwise known as the Daily Star refers to the killer as a "Brexit gunman"!

Oh dear, the Daily Star really does understand truthfulness and common decency. Not.

Putting an EU campaign spin on this really is low.

 

[TheKnightWho]

Well that hardly makes him a representative of Britain First, who have of course condemned the killing.

I hope you make the same point whenever a radical Muslim does anything.

 

[Steveman]

Jo Cox was on a list of "Red Tory" mp's complied by Momentum who wanted her de-selected. I imagine a few members of that nasty little group might be rapidly deleting their history folders.
They then put a tribute on their website to her which just proves what a despicable bunch they are.