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You can find the current article at its original source at https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2016/oct/30/jo-cox-widower-calls-on-politicians-to-reclaim-patriotism-from-far-right
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| Jo Cox's widower says Brexit not to blame for death of Labour MP | Jo Cox's widower says Brexit not to blame for death of Labour MP |
| (about 3 hours later) | |
| The widower of former MP Jo Cox, who was stabbed to death in her constituency days before the EU referendum, said he did not believe her murder was linked to the Brexit vote. | |
| In a moving television interview, Brendan Cox urged politicians in the centre ground to reclaim patriotism from the extreme right and “define Britain in an inclusive way”. | |
| Cox said he felt the EU referendum had resulted in heightened tension in the UK but that he did not believe the vote was linked to the death of his wife on 16 June. | |
| Jo Cox, Labour MP for Batley and Spen, died after being shot and stabbed outside her constituency office in a killing that rocked the political world and prompted a pause in campaigning days before the EU referendum. | |
| Speaking to BBC1’s Andrew Marr Show, Cox cited the rise of US presidential hopeful Donald Trump and prominent far-right French politician Marine Le Pen as he suggested there had been an increased focus in recent months on “what divides us rather than what brings us together”. | Speaking to BBC1’s Andrew Marr Show, Cox cited the rise of US presidential hopeful Donald Trump and prominent far-right French politician Marine Le Pen as he suggested there had been an increased focus in recent months on “what divides us rather than what brings us together”. |
| He said: “There is something which is stirring that I think at the moment the political centre is too complacent about. I think part of it is about re-seizing a patriotic narrative. Britain has a long tradition of tolerance, of diversity, of being an outward-looking nation – it’s many of the things that made us a great country.” | He said: “There is something which is stirring that I think at the moment the political centre is too complacent about. I think part of it is about re-seizing a patriotic narrative. Britain has a long tradition of tolerance, of diversity, of being an outward-looking nation – it’s many of the things that made us a great country.” |
| Cox added: “But I feel we have ceded that narrative about patriotism, particularly to the extreme right, and I think we need to regain that narrative to define Britain in an inclusive way that brings it together rather than blames the migrant or the refugee or the Muslim for what might be going on in our country at any individual time.” | Cox added: “But I feel we have ceded that narrative about patriotism, particularly to the extreme right, and I think we need to regain that narrative to define Britain in an inclusive way that brings it together rather than blames the migrant or the refugee or the Muslim for what might be going on in our country at any individual time.” |
| He was asked if he thought his wife’s death was connected in any way to the EU referendum. He said: “I think the referendum was clearly a moment of heightened tension and heightened debate and some of that sometimes got out of control, but I think it has nothing to do with the 52% of people that voted for Brexit. | He was asked if he thought his wife’s death was connected in any way to the EU referendum. He said: “I think the referendum was clearly a moment of heightened tension and heightened debate and some of that sometimes got out of control, but I think it has nothing to do with the 52% of people that voted for Brexit. |
| “Jo was always very clear that it was a completely legitimate choice and there were good reasons for staying and there were good reasons for going. Her argument came down on the side of staying but that doesn’t mean that she couldn’t see the point of view of other people that wanted to leave.” | “Jo was always very clear that it was a completely legitimate choice and there were good reasons for staying and there were good reasons for going. Her argument came down on the side of staying but that doesn’t mean that she couldn’t see the point of view of other people that wanted to leave.” |
| Cox said he was still in shock at the death of his wife, which he said had hit him and the couple’s two young children “harder than anything could ever hit you”. | |
| He said: “I have spent a lot of the last period really focusing on Jo and her life and I try quite hard not to spend a lot of time dwelling on how she died, other than to say that it obviously came from nowhere and hit us harder than anything could ever hit you. As I say, I am trying to focus very hard on her life rather than her death.” | |
| Former Coronation Street actor Tracy Brabin was elected Jo Cox’s successor as MP for Batley and Spen with an overwhelming 86% of the vote at a byelection earlier this month. | Former Coronation Street actor Tracy Brabin was elected Jo Cox’s successor as MP for Batley and Spen with an overwhelming 86% of the vote at a byelection earlier this month. |
| Thomas Mair, 53, has been charged with Cox’s murder, possession of a firearm with intent and possession of an offensive weapon. | Thomas Mair, 53, has been charged with Cox’s murder, possession of a firearm with intent and possession of an offensive weapon. |