Thousands gathered in Trafalgar Square to celebrate the life of the mother-of-two, who was killed on the way to her constituency surgery in West Yorkshire last Thursday.
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“She stood for the best in public life and she brought out the best in people, and I hope posthumously she will bring out the best in people in Ireland, the United Kingdom and the world”.
Gemma Mortensen, one of the organisers of the event, said it had sprung from Jo’s friends wanting to “make sure the way the public experience this isn’t dark – it’s not all black and depressing – we’ve got to show love, and express what Jo was in a way of love”.
“She was a politician and she had very strong political views and I believe was she killed because of those views”.
Thank you to everyone for your incredible generosity.
Vote Leave said it did not organise the plane, which had been dispatched by British aircraft manufacturer Britten-Norman as part of its own pro-Brexit campaign.
“But also of how strongly her death has reminded us of standing up for values and principles that unite us – not divide us – in today’s deeply troubled world”, he added.
Cardiff South and Penarth MP Stephen Doughty said: “It’s been an incredibly powerful event, full of positivity and hope that Jo exemplified in her life”.
Raed Saleh, head of the White Helmets and featured in the organisation’s video about Cox, flew from Syria to present a symbolic “white helmet” to Cox’s family in Trafalgar Square.
He said Jo loved her job as an MP, representing the area where she grew up with her dad Gordon, mother Jean and sister Kim.
“I know that many of you have also expressed concerns about Ipsa’s current approach to processing applications for security funding”.
“She was a mountain climber, a runner, a cyclist, an avid reader, an terrible cook, a swimmer, a great exaggerator, a wild food forager, a middle lane driver, a log carrier, a ball of energy and determination, and above all else she was a mum”.
A giant screen showed excerpts from her speeches in parliament and clips of her building a snowman with her children. “If you can, please join us this afternoon to celebrate her life & legacy”.
“But because we believe in what we do and because we want to be visible and accessible in our communities we carry on in spite of it – even because of it – because we believe that we can build a better society and that the vast majority of people, whatever their political allegiance, are with us in this”.
One of the most moving moments was the enthusiastic performance by the choir of her young son’s primary school, which was met with rapturous applause.
There were a few tuts in the crowd as a plane, appearing to carry a “Leave” banner ahead of Thursday’s crucial European Union referendum, passed over Trafalgar Square.
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The hundreds gathered in the market square watched some of the events in Trafalgar Square on the screen and also listened to tributes live on the stage as well as music from the choir of Norristhorpe Primary, in Liversedge.
