On 16th June, Jo Cox MP was tragically killed in her West Yorkshire constituency, just minutes after meeting with her constituents.
Jo dedicated her life to helping those at home and around the world, working for charities such as Oxfam before becoming an MP. Considered a rising star in politics, Jo was a strong campaigner for women's rights, working with the Labour Women's Network. She was also a dedicated advocate for those fleeing war and persecution from war-torn Syria, chairing the All Party Parliamentary Friends of Syria Group.
Her passion for tackling social injustice was unwavering and her belief in humanity, regardless of where you were born, made her a very popular MP. She marked her maiden speech by saying “while we celebrate our diversity, what surprises me time and time again as I travel around the constituency is that we are far more united and have far more in common with each other than that which divides us.” She was a global citizen in the truest sense.
Global Citizen’s Europe Director, Amy Agnew, pays tribute to Jo Cox for her tireless commitment to building a better country, and a better world.
In a truly horrific act of hate and vitriol, yesterday the fiercely committed campaigner and MP, Jo Cox, was shot and killed outside a constituency meeting in Batley, UK. The news is heartbreaking and all our love and thoughts are with her husband Brendan and their two young children.
I didn't have the pleasure of ever meeting Jo, and I know that the overwhelming sadness I feel today is just a fraction of that felt by those who knew her. There is no doubt that she was a force of nature. She was greatly admired throughout the international development sector for her tireless campaigning in support of the poorest and most vulnerable people, both in this country and globally. She was an important women's rights activist and dedicated Labour MP. She was a role model for women like me and I've long been a regular consumer of her blogs, her Parliamentary speeches and her tweets. Her passing is a huge loss for our country and for the world.
It's reported in the news that the shooter shouted "Britain First" as he attacked her. If this is true, then it's hard not to reflect on the kind of Britain that we are living in, that collectively we are responsible for creating.
I want to live in a country that is bursting at the seams with love. I want to feel that the values of tolerance, generosity, warmth and equality are overflowing from our shores and into the world around us; that we are oozing diversity, acceptance, warmth. I want to be surrounded by people who are tripping over themselves to help others, to make the world better for everyone. By all accounts, people like Jo.
We must keep fear and hatred at bay. There will be setbacks. But Love Wins. Every time.
Rest in Peace.
Jo’s death is a devastating moment for her family and for our democracy. The world has lost a bright star in the fight for justice and equality, but her life’s commitment to helping those in need leaves a powerful legacy that will inspire global citizens everywhere.