Labour MP Jo Cox shot in Birstall

So sad to hear of such a tragedy.

From the latest reports it does seem that this man was under the "care" of the mental health services, which are sadly lacking. The move to community care sounded good on paper all those years ago, but was really an attempt at a cost-cutting exercise. There has long been no "asylum" (in the best sense of the word) for those suffering serious mental illness.

What a sorry business this all is. The blast of the inevitable publicity surrounding this will I fear reduce the safety of all MPs who will start to seem even more attractive as terrorist targets. What a sad old world we live in at the moment.

True Luckygirl, whilst I do not want the return of those awful asylums care in the community is not working . In the seventies I was in a hospital for help with severe post natal depression, this meant help around the clock, care in the community means a visit by a CPN perhaps once a week or month and this does not give the help needed .

She was obviously a wonderful, charismatic young woman, cruelty killed while doing the work she loved and was so good at. My deepest sympathy to her husband and children and all who loved her - she was obviously deeply loved by many and will be very much missed for years to come. Why so often do the good die young.........RIP Jo Cox

I agree with you Anniebach.

I remember being in this country (England) as a young girl born here of Irish parents,M having to listen to the muttering so of them taking British jobs, remarks such a "thick Paddy". Even, as a barrister, being called "Boggo" (bog Irish) "but I'm not racism".

I knew they did may not have understood the pain and humiliation this caused. I understood that not matter how prevalent their views at the time, that they had diminished themselves, made themselves a bit smaller and a bit meaner...and unhappier.

I am proud to say we have an exceptionally well qualified family that has continued now fo the next generation and the next. This, alone defies the slights.

These were people who would be regard as perfectly normal citizens who merely were speaking as they felt in defence of their island and nationality. All my siblings (and I) have worked hard in public service to give back that which we have been given.

For that reason and so many others, including those mentioned by Anniebach and others here,I abhor the growth of the "little Englander" mind set that I can see being fed and nourished in some quarters.

I disagree with Neversaydie when she says it is irrelevant if he was part of a right wing fascist group. If that is what fuels what looks remarkably like an act of hatred (stabbing and shooting Jo Cox) it will have to be understood in the context of the killer's own outlook and mindset AND the conditions that enable this mindset to flourish. The reason the 'sub juice' rule is not active at the time of the interviews is because the person arrested had not been charged and brought before the court. He was still under investigation.

The best tribute we can make for Jo Cox, her husband and children is to stop, think and act in a way that would nurture the generous attitudes that she tried to encourage when living.

voxpoliticalonline.com/2016/06/16/blind-hate/

It's worth reading in full.

I apologise for the couple of typos in the post above. Small keyboard issues!

I have just received, and torn into many pieces with anger, a leaflet feeding me lies about countries who will soon join the EU. No wonder people who are vulnerable because of mental issues are easy prey for extreme groups of both right and left. Day after day we've been fed immigration issues regardless of facts. Delivering leaflets around here, I've asked those voting out why they decided to do that and in every single case they said immigration. Not the economy, democracy or any of the other so-called areas of discussion. I am so depressed and angry that this is what we have come to: this attitude of fear and hatred built up for political purposes. It has been like a pressure cooker developing to a dangerous level, and this poor woman and her family have reaped the whirlwind. A caring compassionate MP who no one can find a bad word to say against has been cut down.

I'm sorry if you think this is not appropriate, but I am so angry that I had to post

This is a woman who has devoted her life to trying to make the world a safer and more just place....we were fortunate to have someone like her willing to be an MP...what a terrible tragedy....for her children and family .... And for us all....i find that more and more i feel we need to stop wanting to get rid of certain people or groups.....to accept we have different perspectives. Once we start to hate ....hate just leads to more hate. A sad day.

The best way to fight all the hate we have been witness to both yesterday and around the world over the recent previous months and years is to look at what Mrs Cox stood for and believed in.

She worked for Oxfam where she cut her teeth on international politics travelling extensively. Her experiences and stuff she witnessed stayed with her for the rest of her life.
Next she worked for the Maternal Mortality Campaign.
The Save the Children and NSPCC
Later she was Founder of UK women.
She was an advisor to Freedom from Slavery, and the Gates Institution.
She was an outspoken critic of Syrian policy and believed that there is a lack of a moral compass in UK Foreign policy.
She argued strongly to allow more refugees into Britain.
She was part of the Remain group.
Taken from this mornings Guardian.

Something good must come from her death. So we must try to remember Mrs Cox for enverything she stood for and try to emulate her in our own way.

Hate cannot thrive where there is no room for it to thrive.

What a shame that the empathetic solidarity with Jo Cox and her family which was so moving earlier in this thread, has become obscured by heated debates on blame and freedom of speech. Discussion of these wider issues would sit better in a separate thread.

RIP Jo Cox. Love and deepest sympathy to your family.

I have been wondering how you are feeling Badenkate, as you were the poster who started a thread saying you felt scared to distribute leaflet? If I have got that correct?

From what I can glean from newspapers, radio and TV reports it appears that he has never expressed any interest in politics to those who knew him, has a mixed race half brother and has helped out in the community. It seems he has never had a serious girlfriend so it could be said he just disliked strong women. Let's not jump to conclusions as to his motivation until we have all the facts. This is a tragidy for the family and our first thoughts must be for them.

It was, Obieone. I went out in the middle of the day and met very few people.

I did weep yesterday and at a vigil last night, I had such a feeling of despair , now I have tears because of the post from Nanio,BadenKate , Bobogran and some others and Jens link . The despair has lifted , we must never tolerate hatred , racism , thinking of people who do not share our way of life are less worthy human beings than us

Great post whitewave , yes we ache for her husband and children, for life taken from a young woman but we can learn from her and this will be the best tribute we can pay to her - in my opinion

I am quite saddened to read this thread today to be honest .

I would have thought posts would be respectful, reflective and concentrated on the loss of a respected MP and her poor family.

What I am reading are posts that are cemented in the personal opinions by some over the EU referendum and which have transposed themselves onto here. I know threads do take to drifting but I am appalled at not only the tone of some posts especially given the circumstances but the ease that personal feelings over the referendum and Leave Campaign can be accepted by some to be appropriate to discuss given the possible background to what has happened.

For goodness sake does nobody see there is a time and a place and aggressive political rhetoric on such a sad thread that begs respect is not appropriate. Give it a rest for her memory on at least one thread you have plenty of others to show your anger which is verging on hatred .

I agree POGS, I was thinking exactly the same thing.

At present we have no idea what motivated this man to commit such a brutal crime, it's all speculation, but a few on this thread seem to have already made up their minds and are carrying on the Brexit-knocking on any thread, appropriate or not. They just can't help themselves...

Please don't.

Please make this thread positive. Answer what you see as someone taking the wrong course with understanding. Many of us on the left will be feeling utterly bereft and will naturally want to look for reasons. They may be the wrong reasons but please don't make this thread into another battle ground. There will be time enough for battles. But not here.

'Keep the thread respectful'.... so a thread that just says, RIP, she was lovely, this is bad, is what you want? I see people trying to make some sort of sense from an incomprehensible act. The man will not come to trial for months, it is unlikely there will be any explanation even of what happened let alone why, until much later this year.

I don't know about the rest of you, but I am very scared by the shift in atmosphere in this country since this bloody campaign has kicked off, and especially since the Leave campaign switched from a focus on democracy and economics, and even the all-politicians-are-useless Trump style anger, to immigration. That was the first time polls swung to give them over 50%. They have deliberately opened a sore and we may all come to regret it.
.

Durhamjen sadly I consider the link you posted as somewhat inappropriate. Why after going on about blind faith which may have been a contributory factor does he then politicise it by saying because she was murdered we must vote "remain". Very poor to subtly use this tragic event as propaganda for Remain.

I now understand how muslims feel when a lone ISIS fanatic commits an attrocity.

Yes Pam that is what we are hoping for. Of course we need answers but that will be for another day and another thread. This thread is hopefully going to dwell on Mrs Cox positive contribution to the world -which was great indeed -

Maybe we need to remind ourselves of her husband's fitting eulogy to his wife, and avoid arguing about the many theories surrounding this devastating event.

To those of us who are enlightened enough to recognise the admirable work that Jo Cox did we do well to dwell on this for comfort, however for those living from hand to mouth with pennies in their purses and surrounded by immigrants who they consider (rightly or wrongly) are getting a better deal than them, the the over emphasis of her work with these communities may only make the situation worse.