United in love United for Jo
Husband in awe at 100,000 events for politician
Nicola Sturgeon led Scotland’s tributes as millions across the UK joined in remembrance of murdered MP Jo Cox yesterday.
The First Minister attended a tea party at Glasgow Women’s Library, which was among the 100,000 events that took place for The Great Get Together, organised by Jo’s widower Brendan on the anniversary of her brutal killing.
Bake- of fs, street parties, cof fee mornings and mass picnics were all held in memory of the 41-year-old mum of two.
Jo was murdered in her West Yorkshire constituency on June 16 last year by right-wing fanatic Thomas Mair.
Kilmarnock- born Mair was given a whole-life prison sentence for her murder.
Sturgeon said: “I remember vividly, as everybody does, the sheer sense of shock a year ago when the news came through that an MP had been attacked, then a bit later on the dreadful news she had been murdered.
“That shock was personal for politicians but it was profound for all of us because it was a horrible, violent act, like so much else that happens in the world, and made us focus on the things that divide people rather than the things that bring us together.
“So Brendan Cox , Jo’s husband, and the Jo Cox Foundation have, to their great credit , been real ly focused on trying to celebrate Jo’s memory by getting people to focus on what unites us, not what divides us.”
The First Minister added: “Jo’s maiden speech in the House of Commons had that memorable phrase, ‘ We have more in common than anything that divides us.’ That’s a pretty good principle for all of us to try to live our lives by.
“We live in a world where a tiny minority of extremists try to divide us through acts of unspeakable violence and we’ve got such a responsibility not to allow them to do that.”
Meanwhile, Jo’s widower Brendan said he was “awed” by the way the country embraced his wish for communities to celebrate togetherness on the anniversary of his wife’s murder.
He said: “When we f irst thought about this, we were thinking of just bringing some people together.
“We didn’t think it would have anything like the scale and the traction it’s had. We’ve been awed by it.
“I think we’ve had well over 100,000 events, with millions of people taking part in the weekend.
“And we got the weather for it, which is a good thing to be able to say.”
Brendan enjoyed the sunshine in Heckmondwike, West Yorkshire, accompanied by Jo’s parents Gordon and Jean Leadbeater and her sister Kim.
He joined hundreds of people on the green at the centre of the town, at the heart of Jo’s Batley & Spen constituency.
Brendan added: “What Jo’s killikilling was ddesignedi d to do was to tear communities apart.
“I can think of no better response to that than a moment l ike this that brings our communities together – people from different backgrounds, who come from all different places around here, different faiths. Just moments that don’t fixate on the differences but focus on those things we have in common.
“I think, as a country, we are not good enough at doing that.
“If people feel closer to their communities, that’s how Jo would want to be remembered.”
We didn’t think it would have anything like the scale and traction it’s had. We have been awed by it