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Silence and Sobs as Parliament Honors Jo Cox, Slain British Lawmaker Silence and Sobs as Parliament Honors Jo Cox, Slain British Lawmaker
(about 4 hours later)
LONDON — There were moments of silence and occasional sobbing in the British Parliament on Monday as it convened in a special session to pay tribute to Jo Cox, the lawmaker who was killed in a village in northern England last week, as the man charged with her murder made a brief appearance in court via a video link from prison.LONDON — There were moments of silence and occasional sobbing in the British Parliament on Monday as it convened in a special session to pay tribute to Jo Cox, the lawmaker who was killed in a village in northern England last week, as the man charged with her murder made a brief appearance in court via a video link from prison.
As legislators from all parties sat together on the green leather benches and stood intermingled in the aisles — rather than divided by party affiliation as usual — Prime Minister David Cameron called on them to honor Ms. Cox, 41, by “uniting against the hatred that killed her.”As legislators from all parties sat together on the green leather benches and stood intermingled in the aisles — rather than divided by party affiliation as usual — Prime Minister David Cameron called on them to honor Ms. Cox, 41, by “uniting against the hatred that killed her.”
Jeremy Corbyn, the leader of the opposition Labour Party, to which Ms. Cox belonged, said that “we need a kinder, gentler politics.”Jeremy Corbyn, the leader of the opposition Labour Party, to which Ms. Cox belonged, said that “we need a kinder, gentler politics.”
“We all have a responsibility, in this House and beyond, not to whip up hatred and sow division,” he added.“We all have a responsibility, in this House and beyond, not to whip up hatred and sow division,” he added.
The loss of the energetic and popular Ms. Cox, who was elected in May last year, was a special blow to the Labour Party. “We have lost one of our own, and society as a whole has lost one of our very best,” Mr. Corbyn said.The loss of the energetic and popular Ms. Cox, who was elected in May last year, was a special blow to the Labour Party. “We have lost one of our own, and society as a whole has lost one of our very best,” Mr. Corbyn said.
The murder of Ms. Cox last Thursday was the first of a sitting member of Parliament since 1990 and brought a three-day halt to raucous campaigning over this week’s referendum on British membership in the European Union. The murder of Ms. Cox last Thursday was the first of a sitting member of Parliament since 1990 and brought a short halt to campaigning over this week’s referendum on British membership in the European Union.
Parliament had been in recess until June 27, as the nation prepared for the referendum on Thursday, but members were summoned back to Westminster after the killing of Ms. Cox on a street in Birstall, a town in her district in West Yorkshire. Her husband, Brendan Cox, her children, 3 and 5, her sister and her parents were in the gallery to listen to the tributes. Parliament had been in recess as the nation prepared for the referendum on Thursday, but members were summoned back to Westminster after the killing of Ms. Cox on a street in Birstall, a town in her district in West Yorkshire. Her husband, Brendan Cox, her children, 3 and 5, her sister and her parents were in the gallery to listen to the tributes.
Speaker John Bercow, who recalled the House of Commons, said that “an attack like this strikes not only at an individual but at our freedom.”Speaker John Bercow, who recalled the House of Commons, said that “an attack like this strikes not only at an individual but at our freedom.”
It was only the sixth time Parliament has been recalled since 2010, according to the BBC; the last two recalls were votes on airstrikes against Syria and then, in September 2014, against the Islamic State. Parliament was also recalled to pay tribute to the former prime minister Margaret Thatcher after her death in 2013.It was only the sixth time Parliament has been recalled since 2010, according to the BBC; the last two recalls were votes on airstrikes against Syria and then, in September 2014, against the Islamic State. Parliament was also recalled to pay tribute to the former prime minister Margaret Thatcher after her death in 2013.
Mr. Cameron called Ms. Cox “a loving, determined, passionate and progressive politician who epitomized the best of humanity and who proved so often the power of politics to make our world a better place.”Mr. Cameron called Ms. Cox “a loving, determined, passionate and progressive politician who epitomized the best of humanity and who proved so often the power of politics to make our world a better place.”
The prime minister said he had first met Ms. Cox in 2006 in the Darfur region of Sudan. He was the relatively new leader of the Conservative Party, which was then in opposition, and she was a relief worker for Oxfam, a British-based charity. Her decision to receive him “had not been entirely welcome,” Mr. Cameron said to gentle laughter, but “it was typical of her determination to reach across party lines on issues that she felt were so much more important than party politics.”The prime minister said he had first met Ms. Cox in 2006 in the Darfur region of Sudan. He was the relatively new leader of the Conservative Party, which was then in opposition, and she was a relief worker for Oxfam, a British-based charity. Her decision to receive him “had not been entirely welcome,” Mr. Cameron said to gentle laughter, but “it was typical of her determination to reach across party lines on issues that she felt were so much more important than party politics.”
Mr. Cameron added: “We express our anger at the sickening and despicable attack that killed her as she did her job, serving her constituents on the streets of Birstall.”Mr. Cameron added: “We express our anger at the sickening and despicable attack that killed her as she did her job, serving her constituents on the streets of Birstall.”
Stephen Kinnock, a Labour member who shared an office with Ms. Cox, a friend for 20 years, said she had given “a voice to the voiceless and spoke truth to power” and exemplified the “best values” of Labour and the country.Stephen Kinnock, a Labour member who shared an office with Ms. Cox, a friend for 20 years, said she had given “a voice to the voiceless and spoke truth to power” and exemplified the “best values” of Labour and the country.
Echoing the sentiment of others, he said her legacy must be a politics of “hope not fear, respect not hate, unity not division.”Echoing the sentiment of others, he said her legacy must be a politics of “hope not fear, respect not hate, unity not division.”
Mr. Kinnock hit out at a poster calling for Britain to leave the European Union that showed a line of refugees under the headline “Breaking Point.” Ms. Cox, who favored remaining in the bloc, “would have responded with outrage and with robust rejection of the calculated narrative of cynicism, division and despair that it represents,” he said.Mr. Kinnock hit out at a poster calling for Britain to leave the European Union that showed a line of refugees under the headline “Breaking Point.” Ms. Cox, who favored remaining in the bloc, “would have responded with outrage and with robust rejection of the calculated narrative of cynicism, division and despair that it represents,” he said.
On Monday, a leading member of the House of Lords and a former chairwoman of the Conservative Party, Sayeeda Warsi, said that for similar reasons she was switching sides and would now support remaining in the union. One of the most prominent Muslim politicians in Britain, she accused the “Leave” campaign of peddling xenophobia and racism, and said that moderate voices favoring an exit from the bloc had been drowned out.On Monday, a leading member of the House of Lords and a former chairwoman of the Conservative Party, Sayeeda Warsi, said that for similar reasons she was switching sides and would now support remaining in the union. One of the most prominent Muslim politicians in Britain, she accused the “Leave” campaign of peddling xenophobia and racism, and said that moderate voices favoring an exit from the bloc had been drowned out.
She told the BBC that “this kind of nudge-nudge, wink-wink xenophobic racist campaign may be politically savvy or politically useful in the short term, but it causes long-term damage to communities.”She told the BBC that “this kind of nudge-nudge, wink-wink xenophobic racist campaign may be politically savvy or politically useful in the short term, but it causes long-term damage to communities.”
Markets have been jittery as polls have fluctuated, but on Monday, the pound surged against the dollar, and stocks in Europe rose, as traders took note of new opinion polls suggesting a shift in momentum toward remaining in the union. Markets have been jittery as polls have fluctuated, but, on Monday, the pound surged against the dollar, and stocks in Europe rose, as traders took note of new polls suggesting a shift in momentum toward remaining in the union.
Also on Monday, the man accused of killing Ms. Cox confirmed to a London court by video link from Belmarsh prison, in southeastern London, that he was Thomas Mair, 52. Wearing a gray tracksuit, he sat with his arms folded. On Saturday, when charged and asked his name, he had answered: “My name is death to traitors, freedom for Britain.”Also on Monday, the man accused of killing Ms. Cox confirmed to a London court by video link from Belmarsh prison, in southeastern London, that he was Thomas Mair, 52. Wearing a gray tracksuit, he sat with his arms folded. On Saturday, when charged and asked his name, he had answered: “My name is death to traitors, freedom for Britain.”
Mr. Mair did not apply for bail and has not yet entered a plea, his lawyer said, and he will remain in custody. He faces charges of murder, grievous bodily harm, possession of a firearm with intent to commit an indictable offense and possession of an offensive weapon. Another hearing in his case has been scheduled for Thursday, the day of the referendum.Mr. Mair did not apply for bail and has not yet entered a plea, his lawyer said, and he will remain in custody. He faces charges of murder, grievous bodily harm, possession of a firearm with intent to commit an indictable offense and possession of an offensive weapon. Another hearing in his case has been scheduled for Thursday, the day of the referendum.