Flags are flying at half-mast across Whitehall and Downing Street today following the killing of Labour MP Jo Cox in her constituency.
A vigil attended by Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn was last night held outside parliament, while hundreds attended a church service in Birstall, West Yorkshire, the town where she was shot and stabbed on Thursday afternoon.
Downing Street confirmed that all government departments would lower their flags as a mark of respect, as prime minister David Cameron paid tribute to the mother-of-two for her “big heart”.
“She was a very strong campaigning MP,” he said. “She had a great track record of caring about refugees and had taken a big interest in how we can look after Syrian refugees and do the right thing in our world. She was a star for her constituents, a star in parliament and a star right across the House.”
Campaigning in the European Union referendum was suspended following the attack on the Labour MP. West Yorkshire Police said they had arrested a man in Birstall yesterday and were not looking for anyone else in connection with the attack.
Cox was elected to represent the people of Batley and Spen last year. Prior that, she worked for the aid group Oxfam, and had served as an adviser to Sarah Brown. She was also national chair of the Labour party’s women’s network, and co-chair of the Syria All Party Parliamentary Group.
Her husband Brendan Cox released a statement following news of her death.
“Today is the beginning of a new chapter in our lives,” he said. “More difficult, more painful, less joyful, less full of love.”
“I and Jo’s friends and family are going to work every moment of our lives to love and nurture our kids and to fight against the hate that killed Jo.
“Jo believed in a better world and she fought for it everyday of her life with an energy, and a zest for life that would exhaust most people.
“She would have wanted two things above all else to happen now, one that our precious children are bathed in love and two, that we all unite to fight against the hatred that killed her.”