West Yorkshire MP dies after attack

A WEST YORKSHIRE MP has died after an attack in Birstall.

Jo Cox, the Batley & Spen MP, was shot and stabbed before one of her constituency surgery sessions.

West Yorkshire Police were called at 12.53pm and armed officers responded, resulting in the arrest of a 52-year-old man. Mrs Cox was passed away at 1.48pm.

The man suspected of the attack has been named locally as Tommy Mair. 

A 77 year-old man nearby also suffered slight injuries.

Dee Collins, the acting chief constable of West Yorkshire Police said: “I’m now very sad to have to report that [Jo Cox] has died as a result of her injuries.

“Jo was attacked by a man who inflicted serious and, sadly ultimately fatal, injuries.

“Shortly afterwards a man was arrested nearby by local uniformed police officers. Weapons, including a firearm, have also been recovered.

“A full investigation is underway to establish the motive for this attack.

“Clearly, as this inquiry is at an early stage and we have an individual under arrest, we are not in a position to discuss any motive at this time.

“We are not looking for anyone else in connection with this incident.”

Mrs Cox’s official website said she was due to hold a constituency surgery at Birstall Library at 1pm today.

The Labour politician was raised in Heckmondwike and Batley before studying at Cambridge University. She worked for Joan Walley MP in Parliament and Baroness Glenys Kinnock in Brussels, then spent a decade working for aid agency Oxfam.

Mrs Cox was elected to the House of Commons in 2015, replacing Mike Wood who retired after 18 years representing the constituency.

She is co-chair of the Friends of Syria All Party Parliamentary Group and is a member of parliamentary groups working on Palestine, devolution, Pakistan, Kashmir and Yorkshire’s regional economy.

Mrs Cox, who was 41, leaves behind husband Brendan and two children, aged five and three.

Mrs Cox’s husband Brendan posted a picture of his wife to his Twitter account this afternoon (right).

Tributes have poured in from leaders and politicians across the country. 

Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn posted a  tribute to Mrs Cox on his Twitter account. It said: The whole of the Labour Party and Labour family – and indeed the whole country – will be in shock at the horrific murder of Jo Cox today.

“Jo died doing her public duty at the heart of our democracy, listening to and representing the people she was elected to serve.

“In the coming days, there will be questions to answer about how an why she died. But for now our thoughts are with Jo’s husband Brendan and their two young children.

“We send them our deepest condolences. We have lost a much-loved colleague, a real talent and a dedicated campaigner for social justice and peace. But they have lost a wife and a mother and our hearts go out to them.”

Prime Minister David Cameron has also paid tribute to the newly-elected MP. 

Councillor Judith Blake, Leader of Leeds City Council, said: “This is an absolutely shocking incident that has robbed a family of a loving mother and wife who was simply doing her job, representing the people of Batley and Spen.

“This is a tragedy which cannot be allowed to undermine our democratic processes, processes that Jo was so proud to represent. Leeds as a neighbour stands united with Kirklees and our thoughts remain with Jo’s family as they try to come to terms with their dreadful loss.”