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We should think of Jo at the ballot box

(287 Posts)
PamelaJ1 Sat 18-Jun-16 08:00:23

Stephen Kinnock was a good friend of Jo Cox. He has written an article in my paper about the closeness of their families. I have no problem with most of what he has written apart from the instruction that we must think of her when we vote!
I am appalled by what has happened to her and feel great sympathy for her family but
I fail to see that her death has anything to do with the way I vote!
Am I wrong To feel that this appeal is rather distasteful?

Welshwife Sat 18-Jun-16 08:08:17

The Kinnock family are distraught at her death - if you saw Neil Kinnock on TV yesterday you would have seen how visibly upset he was. I have not seen the piece Stephen wrote but maybe it was not put in the best prose. I can understand the sentiment behind what he has said - this young woman and mother was murdered for her beliefs - Could he have been suggesting that maybe we should think why she was murdered when we come to vote? It does look as if it was connected to extremism.
As it happens I had a postal vote and sent it back almost three weeks ago and so it can make no difference to how I vote. I can understand why you feel as you do but I can see why he has said it.

PRINTMISS Sat 18-Jun-16 08:16:30

No, I don't think so. Her death brought a pause in the awful 'discussions' which were taking place over the referendum. Time for everyone to take a breath, I think perhaps she would have been pleased about that, because it gave everyone time to stop and think about the values we have. For lovely Jo, the debate become too personal, and she lost her life because she cared; the world is a sadder place for that. Voting one way or the other will not alter the fact.

petra Sat 18-Jun-16 08:22:30

I'm not surprised. I expect there to be a lot more comments like that one.
It won't change the way I vote, nothing will.

Anniebach Sat 18-Jun-16 08:23:07

I voted a few weeks ago too, since the murder if Jo Cox I have had the thought - thank god I didn't vote with Brexit , I would have to accept I was of the same mindset as the Britain First movement .

Stephen is grieving the loss of a dear friend , his parents are devasted . I think it his way of trying to find something positive from her death, if Brexit win she died for nothing, if they lose her fight was not in vain

Anya Sat 18-Jun-16 08:31:47

No, you are most definately NOT wrong to find that distasteful. Jo Cox was doubtless a lovely woman, who had worked in some of the most dangerous areas of the world. It is sad, and ironic, that she should end her life, prematurely, in a small Yorkshire town on her own doorstep.

She was killed by a mentally-ill man, with, it would appear, connections to an extreme right wing facist group. No such group is being represented at the ballot box next week. Thank goodness.

annsixty Sat 18-Jun-16 08:31:58

I agree that it must not change the way we vote and as PRINTMISS has said we we should consider what is best for everyone and not just for ourselves. We must not be swayed by others opinions, personalities who we like or dislike should not sway us in our decision.
It would seem that Jo Cox was a very principled young woman who lived what she believed for others as well as herself . Sadly she died because someone else didn't respect those beliefs as it would seem they weren't his own.

rosesarered Sat 18-Jun-16 08:38:49

Exactly, and as others point out, this has nothing to do with our vote next week.There will always be some wanting to push their own agenda.I don't think that anybody will be swayed by comments of Kinnock or Bob Geldof for that matter, or anybody else.

petra Sat 18-Jun-16 08:39:25

Anniebach I'm voting to leave. But I can assure you that these people are as far removed from my life as the man in the moon. I would go as far to say that applies to 99% of leave voters. Call me naive if you want, but that is what I believe.

Anya Sat 18-Jun-16 08:40:05

I find your remark distasteful in the extreme Anniebach

You are effectively saying that I am of the same mind set as this disgusting group. Well I assure you I am not. But I'm quite prepared to say that I find those on GN who are using this death as a way of hitting out at those who might wish to vote leave, beyond low.

I am disgusted by many of the posts I have read on this forum. I am equally disgusted by the mindset behind them and wonder how low some people can sink.

I won't be on GN for the rest of the day as I don't really want to contribute to site where reasoned political debate is stiffled by a group of 'heavies'. Rant and rave all you want I won't be here to read it.

And if GNHQ choose to delete this post because it infringes their 'guidelines' then do be it, but at least I've had the chance to say what I think.

Anniebach Sat 18-Jun-16 08:40:47

The beliefs of Britain First is at the heart of why the country will vote with or against

rosesarered Sat 18-Jun-16 08:42:07

Rubbish annie and you know it!

Christinefrance Sat 18-Jun-16 08:42:55

I agree , the appeal from Stephen Kinnock was distasteful. Taking it one step further I suggest that as a politician he knew exactly what he was doing.

rosesarered Sat 18-Jun-16 08:43:42

I agree with all that Anya has just written, and I will be off this thread too.Disgusting remarks by you annie.

Anniebach Sat 18-Jun-16 08:43:53

You always say what you think Anya why on earth should this post be treated differently ? Does it trouble you perhaps!

Anniebach Sat 18-Jun-16 08:49:35

I cannot apologise to those who have taken offence. I am sorry thry are troubled but I am only expressing my opinions , my views on Brexit supporters are no different to the views her who accused all members of the Labour Party of being anti Semitic , do I am just following your way if thinking , birds if a feather etc

NonnaW Sat 18-Jun-16 08:50:28

I too don't like the inference that if I should choose to vote one way that makes me of the same mindset of an extremist group - it would not. I have no allegiances to any political group and will vote for what I personally think is right. Please let's not turn this poor woman's murder into political infighting.

thatbags Sat 18-Jun-16 08:51:49

I wouldn't call it distasteful. I just don't agree that thinking about Jo Cox is relevant. There are good people and bad people on both sides. Agreeing with Jo Cox's views does not make you a good person; neither does disagreeing with them. Nor does either agreeing or disagreeing make anyone a bad person.

So I think I'd call it a bit silly rather than distasteful. But, we can all be a bit silly when in the grip of deep emotion. So... shrug and ignore.

Oh yeah, and people are allowed to say things that others think distasteful anyway. More shrugs.

thatbags Sat 18-Jun-16 08:53:50

If he really thinks people who don't think like Jo on the EU are not as nice people as those who do, even when he is not suffering grief, then he's a twit in that regard.

Besides which, one can agree with her about refugees and still vote for Brexit.

petra Sat 18-Jun-16 08:56:05

thatbags nailed it. It's just silly.

Anniebach Sat 18-Jun-16 09:01:24

I was accused of being anti semetic because if comments made by two politicians , surely the same can now be said of Brexit supporters ? No difference

Luckygirl Sat 18-Jun-16 09:05:52

" if Brexit win she died for nothing" - I cannot understand that statement at all. She has died for nothing - full stop. She has died because a misguided/probably mentally ill man has committed an atrocity.

It has nothing whatesoever to do with how people might vote and Stephen Kinnock is out of order. If he is remotely suggesting that those who favour Brexit are fascists then he is trying to sway the vote for the wrong reasons. There are many people in favour of LEAVE who have not made that decision on the basis of the immigration issue, but because of many other things.

The idea that those in favour of LEAVE have some problem with their fellow Europeans and are little Englanders is a distorted simplification.

I guess he can be forgiven as he is grieving for a friend; but his comments are out of order and unacceptable.

Maggiemaybe Sat 18-Jun-16 09:16:23

On Facebook a friend of a friend was being applauded for saying that those planning to vote out should share some blame for Jo Cox's death, as they have contributed to the mindset that brought it about.

Utter nonsense, as is this suggestion.

petra Sat 18-Jun-16 09:18:01

If Stephen Kinnock thinks that he can emotionall blackmail the British public, it could work against the remain voters. The British public will see right through it.

Marmark1 Sat 18-Jun-16 09:20:41

Anya,you may not be reading this,but thank you for putting my thoughts into words,I wouldn't have been able to do it so cleverly.