Labour MP Jo Cox shot in Birstall

Two witnesses are pretty sure they heard him say 'Britain First'. This is a vile far-right racist/anti-muslim group, I won't do your googling for you, but I wouldn't go near their web pages at the moment if you don't want to read raw racist rage. The man Thomas Mair had subscribed to racist journals, and had bought far-right and racist materials, and instruction books on building guns and bombs. We await what the police will find at his home. It's unlikely to be disclosed till the trial (if any, he may plead guilty) which will not be for months.

We don't know what his mental health problems are. Usually people with mental health problems are not violent. I would put good money on this man being motivated by hatred of Jo Cox's work for refugees, she was prominent in campaigning for Syrian refugees and in particular she supported Alf Dubs' (failed) attempt to bring 3000 unaccompanied refugee children to the UK. Perhaps that created his Breaking Point. I guess anyone who deliberately sets out to murder another human can probably be classed as a psychopath.

There is a scary undercurrent of xenophobia if not overt racism, that has become almost tangible in this past few weeks. Maybe I read different media from you, but it has been exposed by this referendum campaign. I am really worried for our future.

The witnesses will be taken through the events by an experienced officer, who will take as many statements as possible from those who saw or heard anything, and assess what happened.

At the moment, we have only heard instant reports.

Ana- your comment sadly proves the point made
not sure which point and what is proved?
and why it is sad to be proved?

As the police didn't arrive untill after the murder there is only the witnesses who can say what they saw and heard
that's right, we can speculate all we like but until we know the facts we cannot know the motive or reasoning of this person.

It was an analogy, ab.
I did not say or imply it was the same.

Ana- your comment sadly proves the point made.

(we've seen that with the massive difference with other crimes too, like recent rape cases. One set of 'assumptions' and treatment for some, and a very different one for others).

Graphic description of sexual abuse of a child is not and should not be compared with vile comments by a vile mouthed person,

Ab Jalima , can we avoid the real world ? That vile tweet was written by someone in the real world

Many unspeakable things go on in the real world.
Child abuse, for example, but I doubt if any gransnetters would like graphic descriptions of it to appear in the forums.
I agree with jalima and think GNHQ should have deleted the post which quoted those tweets.

As the police didn't arrive untill after the murder there is only the witnesses who can say what they saw and heard

All we have is that a bystander, amid the chaos of this attack, thinks he heard him say certain words.

Don't prejudge. Waiting until the facts are known is not tolerating evil, it is refusing to allow snap judgments to influence us into instant and regrettable kneejerk reactions.

I am sure there will be a ststement soon on what is has been ascertained.

www.whitehelmets.org

Such sad news, as other have said, a woman in her prime just doing her job. Deepest sympathy to her husband children and the rest of her family too.
At choir we all said the same last night-it's bound to be one of these poor souls being "cared for in the community". Care is the last thing they get sadly. The old asylums were awful but there is a place for keeping folks safe and us safe from them too before they do something terrible.
The morning after the last elections I remember thinking how lovely to live in a democracy. So many folks must have disagreed with the result but it was accepted peacefully.
Immigration is a very serious issue. We simply don't have room for any more-schools, hospitals, doctors, housing all creaking under the strain. Something must be done-ideally so these folks can stay in their own countries, as I would wish to do.

Yes, lazigirl, they are on thesyriacampaign. I am a member of HopenotHate, and have already donated. I donate to thesyriacampaign as well. That's all I can do, donate and hope.

There's a donation page set up by her husband separately.

That was to gj but applies to anyone who thinks this man 'must have been' influenced by some rabid extremists. I'll leave you to your assumptions.

The labour party have set up a book of condolences here www.labour.org.uk/jo-cox

What's that got to do with this tragic case? Honestly, talk about making judgements before the facts are even known...sigh

One doesn't have to be a member of any extremist group to read, listen and then agree with them

How many 'terrorists' are in fact people with mental health issues, who have often been treated badly or unfairly by society? Why are some groups of people always treated as 'ill with mental health issues' and others 'terrorists'?

We can't assume that, Christinefrance. At the moment there's no evidence (as far as I'm aware) that this man was a member of any extremist group.

Pamish vulnerable people and those with mental health problems are often drawn to extreme groups. Being involved with such groups and buying into their belief systems does not preclude mental health problems. Jo Cox was so sadly a victim of these things it would appear.

@ Jalima, I don't go to those sites but I'm guessing those extracts were posted here as sometimes people don't believe that not only does such hatred get expressed, but it's so blatant. And often under real names.

She was a member of Hope not Hate, I received an E mail yesterday

Thanks dj that's helpful. I hadn't heard of either of these before. Are the White Helmets the Syrian volunteers?

If anyone wants to donate to charity for her, her husband has said HopenotHate or the White Helmets.

annie I am not head-in-the-sand and have probably heard more horror stories than many people, some that will never leave my brain.
However, robust political debate on GN is one thing, a repeat of these tweets is a step too far imo, and I for one would not visit these sites any more than I would visit other vile sites that I know exist.
I know they are part of real life, I know they fuel violence and other horrific crimes but, unless I am part of a team investigating them I do not wish to read their diatribes on here or follow links to them.

Just thinking about a loving family split by a vile act of hatred. Don't understand the hatred which is spreading through this country.
So much sadness caused by one act. I just feel empty for the family.