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Batley and Spen MP Jo Cox died yesterday after being shot and stabbed at her routine constituency clinic.

She was attacked in Market Street, Birstall, at 12.53pm.

She was taken to Leeds General Infirmary but tragically passed away from her injuries.

West Yorkshire Police has launched a murder investigation into the senseless attack.

A 52 year old man named locally as Thomas Mair was arrested.

The 41 year old, a Batley-born mother-of-two, was elected to the Batley and Spen seat just last year.

Tributes have been flooding in from around the world after news of her death was announced at 5pm yesterday.

Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn is coming to Birstall today to lay a tribute in her memory.

Yesterday he said: "Jo Cox had a lifelong record of public service and a deep commitment to humanity. She worked both for Oxfam and the anti-slavery charity, the Freedom Fund, before she was elected last year as MP for Batley and Spen - where she was born and grew up.

"We have lost a much loved colleague, a real talent, a dedicated campaigner for social justice and peace. But her family has lost a wife and mother, and our hearts go out to them."

That's all from us - here's more pictures from today

In pictures: David Cameron and Jeremy Corbyn unite in Birstall tribute to Jo Cox

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Opportunities to pay tribute

Jo’s secretary Craig Looker has sent out this message for anyone wanting to show their respects:

At this saddest of times I wanted to let you know about two events for Jo:



Today at 7pm



All are welcome at the Al-Hikmah Centre, 28 Track Road, Batley, WF17 7AA for a special prayer and event for Jo.



Saturday 18 June from 10am



A Book of Condolence will be open for signing at Tom Myers House, 9 Cross Crown Street, Cleckheaton, BD19 3HW.


There is also a book of condolences for anyone to sign in the entrance halls at Huddersfield and Batley Town Halls.

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EU campaigning

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Thank Your MP

Many of you have been tweeting your MPs since #ThankYourMP began trending. Here’s what local Twitter users had to say about our local politicians:

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Live report

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Autism campaigner

Barry Sheerman told reporters today that Jo was asked on Wednesday to join the Autism Commission. Autism is something Jo has previously campaigned on and has spoken in Parliament on the waiting times families experience to get a diagnosis. Here is the story about her passionate speech.

Jo Cox (centre) with autism campaigners Martin Kilgallon (far left) and wife Anne-Marie (second left)
Jo Cox (centre) with autism campaigners Martin Kilgallon (far left) and wife Anne-Marie (second left)
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Tributes from Cameron & Corbyn

Two very poignant and fitting tributes from our leading politicians:

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VIDEO: The scene at Birstall

Reporter Chloe has been chatting to Jason McCartney and local residents in Birstall this afternoon following the visit from the Prime Minister and Jeremy Corbyn.

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Cameron & Corbyn speak

Here are some of the things said by our leading politicians visiting Birstall today:

David Cameron said: “Two children have lost their mother; a husband has lost a loving wife. We often disregard what politicians say but at the end of the day that’s what it’s about. We should value our democracy.”

Jeremy Corbyn said: “We need our whole society to be secure. Jo was brutally murdered 24 hours ago. It’s an attack on democracy what happened yesterday. I have asked the PM and speaker for the recall of Parliament on Monday, and they’ve accepted that request.

John Bercow: “Today I think everybody is united in grief in horror and in an overpowering respect.Evil cannot be allowed and will not be allowed to triumph over good.”

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Hillary Clinton pays tribute

Some words from American presidential hopeful Hillary Clinton:

“It is cruel and terrible that her life was cut short by a violent act of political intolerance. It is critical that the United States and Britain, two of the world’s oldest and greatest democracies, stand together against hatred and violence.

“This is how we must honour Jo Cox - by rejecting bigotry in all its forms, and instead embracing, as she always did, everything that binds us together.”

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Uncontested by-election

It looks like the Batley and Spen seat will be uncontested in the upcoming by-election brought about in such horrific circumstances. The Lib Dems, UKIP and Conservatives have now all announced they will not be contesting it out of respect.

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'We should treasure our democracy'

Prime Minister David Cameron told how he first met Jo Cox, a former aid worker, in Darfur, western Sudan, in 2006 where she had been “doing what she was brilliant at, which was looking after and saving the lives of vulnerable refugees.”

He added: “Today our nation is rightly shocked. It is a moment to stand back and think about some of the things that are so important about our country.”

Hilary Benn MP for Leeds Central, Speaker of the House of Commons John Bercow, Prime Minister David Cameron and Labour Leader Jeremy Corbyn
Hilary Benn MP for Leeds Central, Speaker of the House of Commons John Bercow, Prime Minister David Cameron and Labour Leader Jeremy Corbyn

He said the country “should treasure and value our democracy where Members of Parliament are out in the public, accountable to the public, available to the public and that’s how Jo died. She died doing her job”.

The Prime Minister said politics was about public service and MPs wanted to “make the world a better place.”

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Flowers for Jo Cox

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An extraordinary and compassionate campaigning MP'

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Book of Condolence for Jo on the Thames

A man signs a book of condolence for Jo Cox at Hermitage Moorings on the River Thames in London, where the MP lived on a converted barge
A man signs a book of condolence for Jo Cox at Hermitage Moorings on the River Thames in London, where the MP lived on a converted barge
A man signs a book of condolence for Jo Cox at Hermitage Moorings on the River Thames in London, where the MP lived on a converted barge
A man signs a book of condolence for Jo Cox at Hermitage Moorings on the River Thames in London, where the MP lived on a converted barge
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'It’s a tragedy beyond tragedy'

Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn said: “Jo was an exceptional, wonderful, very talented woman, taken from us in her early 40s when she had so much to give and so much of her life ahead of her.

“It’s a tragedy beyond tragedy what has happened yesterday. In her memory, we will not allow those people that spread hatred and poison to divide our society, we will strengthen our democracy, strengthen our free speech.

Prime Minister David Cameron and Labour Party leader Jeremy Corbyn speak to the media in Birstall
Prime Minister David Cameron and Labour Party leader Jeremy Corbyn speak to the media in Birstall

“She was a truly wonderful woman. I’m deeply sorry, deeply sad, for what has happened to her. My condolences to all the people of Batley and Spen who she represented so well, and of course to a wonderful family - her husband, her children and all of her wider family.”

The Labour leader paid tribute to the “truly wonderful” statement made by Mrs Cox’s husband Brendan, which he said was a message that “in her memory we should try to conquer hatred with love and with respect”.

Rosie Winterton MP lays a floral tribute in Birstall
Rosie Winterton MP lays a floral tribute in Birstall

He said: “I’ve asked the Prime Minister and Speaker for the recall of Parliament on Monday and they’ve accepted that request and Parliament will be recalled on Monday so that we can pay due tribute to her on behalf of everybody in this country who values democracy, values the right of free speech and values the right of political expression, free from the kind of brutality that Jo suffered.

“That’s why we all need to come together to understand that everyone must have protection and security in order to function in a democratic society.”

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Roads closed

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Paula Sherriff pays tribute

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More pictures

Labour Party leader Jeremy Corbyn lays flowers while Shadow foreign secretary Hilary Benn, Commons Speaker John Bercow and Prime Minister David Cameron look on in Birstall
Labour Party leader Jeremy Corbyn lays flowers while Shadow foreign secretary Hilary Benn, Commons Speaker John Bercow and Prime Minister David Cameron look on in Birstall
Prime Minister David Cameron and Labour Party leader Jeremy Corbyn speak to the media in Birstall
Prime Minister David Cameron and Labour Party leader Jeremy Corbyn speak to the media in Birstall
Prime Minister David Cameron and Labour Party leader Jeremy Corbyn lay flowers in Birstall
Prime Minister David Cameron and Labour Party leader Jeremy Corbyn lay flowers in Birstall
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'True statesmen'

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In pictures: David Cameron and Jeremy Corbyn in Birstall

Left to right: Shadow foreign secretary Hilary Benn, Prime Minister David Cameron and Labour Party leader Jeremy Corbyn lay flowers in Birstall
Left to right: Shadow foreign secretary Hilary Benn, Prime Minister David Cameron and Labour Party leader Jeremy Corbyn lay flowers in Birstall
Left to right: Commons Speaker John Bercow, Prime Minister David Cameron and Labour Party leader Jeremy Corbyn speak to the media in Birstall
Left to right: Commons Speaker John Bercow, Prime Minister David Cameron and Labour Party leader Jeremy Corbyn speak to the media in Birstall
Prime Minister David Cameron and Labour Party leader Jeremy Corbyn speak to the media in Birstall
Prime Minister David Cameron and Labour Party leader Jeremy Corbyn speak to the media in Birstall
Left to right: Shadow foreign secretary Hilary Benn, Prime Minister David Cameron, Speaker's chaplain Reverend Rose Hudson-Wilkin and Labour Party leader Jeremy Corbyn lay flowers in Birstall
Left to right: Shadow foreign secretary Hilary Benn, Prime Minister David Cameron, Speaker's chaplain Reverend Rose Hudson-Wilkin and Labour Party leader Jeremy Corbyn lay flowers in Birstall
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'Let's honour Jo's life'

Many MPs are in Birstall including Huddersfield’s Barry Sheerman, Colne Valley’s Jason McCartney and Dewsbury’s Paula Sherriff.

Speaking in Birstall a few minutes ago Prime Minister David Cameron said: “Where we see hatred, where we find division, where we see intolerance we must drive it out of our politics and out of our public life and out of our communities.

Flowers and tributes left in memory of MP Jo Cox
Flowers and tributes left in memory of MP Jo Cox

“If we truly want to honour Jo, then what we should do is recognise that her values - service, community, tolerance - the values she lived by and worked by, those are the values that we need to redouble in our national life in the months and years to come.”

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VIDEO: Our reporter Chloe at the scene

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'Quite outstanding'

Speaker John Bercow described Jo Cox as a “quite outstanding MP” in her 13 months in Parliament.

“She had so much more to give and had extraordinary moral passion.”

He added: “It was a shocking and appalling act. We cannot allow evil to triumph over good.”

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Corbyn pays tribute

Jeremy Corbyn says Parliament will be recalled on Monday to pay tribute to Jo Cox.

“It’s a tragedy beyond tragdies,” he said. “It’s an attack on democracy but this will strengthen our democracy.”

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'These tragic moments transcend politics'

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Cameron speaking now

A grim-faced David Cameron is speaking now in Birstall. “Two children have lost their mother,” he said.

“Politicians go into public life to pursue the national interest.”

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Tribute from Vicar of Birstall

The vicar of Birstall the Rev Paul Knight said the community is “stunned” after the death of Jo Cox as he opened a book of condolence.

More than 400 people packed into St Peter’s Church last night to pay their respects.

Today Mr Knight opened a book of condolence as church members provided tea and a place for contemplation. The vicar said: “We wanted to give people the opportunity to pass on their sympathies for Jo, who was obviously so much liked in this area.

Dewsbury MP Paula Sherriff MP visits Birstall
Dewsbury MP Paula Sherriff MP visits Birstall

“At this point people don’t know what to do. So we’re giving them the space and the opportunity to voice or express their concerns, and their disappointments and their hurt.”

He added: “I think for the most part people are just stunned. Shocked but stunned. I do detect a little bit of difference today as people wake up and are maybe thinking it was almost like a dream, like a TV show.

People paused for a minute's silence in Birstall at 1pm
People paused for a minute's silence in Birstall at 1pm

“But this morning it was reality. This has actually happened in our community.”

He described Jo as “bubbly, vivacious, enthusiastic and passionate about helping the people of this area.”

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Helicopter overhead

There’s a helicopter overhead in Birstall, according to our reporter Chloe Glover.

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Anti-terror police involved

Here’s the latest on the police investigation.

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