Leader of the UK Independence Party Nigel Farage lays a floral tribute for Jo Cox, the 41-year-old British Member of Parliament shot to death yesterday in northern England, on Parliament Square outside the House of Parliament in Lo.
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Mr Mair, who lives in the town of Birstall, in Yorkshire, where Ms Cox was killed, will appear at London’s Westminster Magistrates on Saturday charged with murder, causing grievous bodily harm and offences related to possession of a firearm.
A court artist sketch shows Thomas Mair, centre, appearing at Westminster Magistrates’ Court in London.
Cox, a supporter of Britain staying in the European Union, was shot and stabbed on Thursday by a man who witnesses said shouted “Britain first”, in her own electoral district near Leeds in the county of West Yorkshire in northern England.
Keith Allen, his attorney, said there was no indication of what plea would be entered.
Britain’s politicians broadly say they cherish the ability to make personal contact with voters and help them find solutions to problems with government-funded services, litter, traffic problems or community crime.
“So let us build a politics of hope not fear, respect not hate, unity not division”, said Labour lawmaker Stephen Kinnock, who shared an office with Cox.
The sister of Jo Cox has paid tribute to her as “an utterly unbelievable woman”, and a charity fundraising appeal set up in her honour has received more than half a million pounds in donations in under two days.
“Across the world, we will gather together to celebrate Jo’s life; her warmth, love, energy, passion, flair, Yorkshire heritage, and her belief in the humanity of every person in every place, from Batley and Spen to Aleppo and Darayya”.
The Brexit campaigning will resume on Sunday, both “Stronger In” and “Vote Leave” announced via social media on Saturday.
Mair’s statement adds considerable weight to the theory that Cox’s killing was a politically motivated, far-right attack just a week before Britain is to vote on the highly contentious question of whether the country should stay in the EU.
While “remain” campaigners have focused on the economic uncertainty surrounding a British exit from the bloc – popularly known as “Brexit” – the “leave” side has stressed the emotive issue of immigration.
President Barack Obama offered his condolences and phoned Mrs Cox’s husband from Air Force One.
“Jo were incredible. She got it sorted and both of my children are fine now”, Britton said, employing the Yorkshire dialect, which prefers the plural “were”.
Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn paid tribute to the MP, saying: “Jo died doing her public duty at the heart of our democracy, listening to and representing the people she was elected to serve”.
A 77-year-old man remains in hospital after being injured trying to help Cox during the attack. Collins, the police official, said authorities believe the attack on Cox was “a single isolated attack”.
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The advice with dates, times and locations remains unaltered two days after a man armed with a hunting knife and handgun ambushed and killed Cox as she arrived, nearly to the minute advertised, beside Birstall’s bustling street market.
