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| Jo Cox's sister reveals late MP experienced periods of loneliness | Jo Cox's sister reveals late MP experienced periods of loneliness |
| (about 4 hours later) | |
| Kim Leadbeater says her older sister felt profound isolation both at university and when she became a mother | Kim Leadbeater says her older sister felt profound isolation both at university and when she became a mother |
| Amelia Gentleman | Amelia Gentleman |
| Wed 17 Jan 2018 19.12 GMT | Wed 17 Jan 2018 19.12 GMT |
| Last modified on Wed 17 Jan 2018 22.01 GMT | |
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| The public image projected by the late Labour MP Jo Cox was of a cheerfully confident and outgoing professional, so it is startling to hear her sister describe her as someone who struggled at times with profound loneliness. | The public image projected by the late Labour MP Jo Cox was of a cheerfully confident and outgoing professional, so it is startling to hear her sister describe her as someone who struggled at times with profound loneliness. |
| She experienced it first when she went to university. “When she went to Cambridge she found herself in a new world, which for a working class northern girl was very intimidating and she found it very difficult,” her younger sister Kim Leadbeater said. “We used to talk on the phone late at night. She missed the safety and the comfort of her family and friends.” | She experienced it first when she went to university. “When she went to Cambridge she found herself in a new world, which for a working class northern girl was very intimidating and she found it very difficult,” her younger sister Kim Leadbeater said. “We used to talk on the phone late at night. She missed the safety and the comfort of her family and friends.” |
| Cox felt very isolated again shortly after the birth of her first child. “When she was a young mum, home alone with a baby she felt very lonely. She would call and say: ‘I just need to have a conversation with an adult,’” Leadbeater said. “When you experience something yourself it stays close to your heart.” | Cox felt very isolated again shortly after the birth of her first child. “When she was a young mum, home alone with a baby she felt very lonely. She would call and say: ‘I just need to have a conversation with an adult,’” Leadbeater said. “When you experience something yourself it stays close to your heart.” |
| Tackling loneliness was a cause that Cox had begun to work on as an MP, in the 13 months between being elected in May 2015 and being murdered in June 2016, setting up an independent cross-party commission to work on it. After her death, the Jo Cox Foundation made a commitment to continue her work and Theresa May announced this week that she was creating a minister for loneliness to focus on the issue in Cox’s honour. | Tackling loneliness was a cause that Cox had begun to work on as an MP, in the 13 months between being elected in May 2015 and being murdered in June 2016, setting up an independent cross-party commission to work on it. After her death, the Jo Cox Foundation made a commitment to continue her work and Theresa May announced this week that she was creating a minister for loneliness to focus on the issue in Cox’s honour. |
| At a reception at Downing Street to celebrate the plan on Wednesday, the prime minister made a vow directly to Cox’s son Cullin, whose father Brendan previously said had written a song that went “I love my mummy, I will not leave her behind”. | At a reception at Downing Street to celebrate the plan on Wednesday, the prime minister made a vow directly to Cox’s son Cullin, whose father Brendan previously said had written a song that went “I love my mummy, I will not leave her behind”. |
| “Cullin, don’t worry – none of us will leave your mummy behind,” May said. “None of us will forget her life, her ideals or what she stood for and all of us will do all that we can to see that in her memory we bring an end to the acceptance of loneliness in our society.” | “Cullin, don’t worry – none of us will leave your mummy behind,” May said. “None of us will forget her life, her ideals or what she stood for and all of us will do all that we can to see that in her memory we bring an end to the acceptance of loneliness in our society.” |
| Earlier, Leadbeater had said her sister would have been “elated” at the announcement. “Jo would be over the moon that the issues that she felt passionate about have been taken on. She did so much in the first half of her life and would have achieved so much more in the second half, that there is a responsibility for those of us who loved Jo and knew her to pick up where she left off.” | Earlier, Leadbeater had said her sister would have been “elated” at the announcement. “Jo would be over the moon that the issues that she felt passionate about have been taken on. She did so much in the first half of her life and would have achieved so much more in the second half, that there is a responsibility for those of us who loved Jo and knew her to pick up where she left off.” |
| In an interview shortly before meeting Theresa May and MPs from all parties at a reception to discuss ways of carrying forward Cox’s legacy, Leadbeater said Cox would have found it “hilarious” to see her younger sister forced into the limelight to talk about the campaign. But Leadbeater, who runs a personal training business in Yorkshire, stepped forward to become a spokeswoman for her family in the days after Jo was shot three times outside her constituency office, when she spoke movingly about how her sister “only saw the good in people”. She remains determined to help push on with the work Cox initiated. | In an interview shortly before meeting Theresa May and MPs from all parties at a reception to discuss ways of carrying forward Cox’s legacy, Leadbeater said Cox would have found it “hilarious” to see her younger sister forced into the limelight to talk about the campaign. But Leadbeater, who runs a personal training business in Yorkshire, stepped forward to become a spokeswoman for her family in the days after Jo was shot three times outside her constituency office, when she spoke movingly about how her sister “only saw the good in people”. She remains determined to help push on with the work Cox initiated. |
| As a new MP, meeting people throughout the constituency, Cox was inspired to take up the cause of loneliness because she met so many socially isolated individuals, Leadbeater said. It is striking how many of the profiles of Thomas Mair, the man who shot Cox, refer to him as a “loner” and as “reclusive”. Leadbeater does not believe Mair’s crime could have been averted if he had lived a less solitary life, but she is convinced that isolation has “a very negative impact”. “The best case scenario is that you just feel lonely and the worst case scenario you get drawn towards ways of dealing with that which are incredibly destructive,” she said. | As a new MP, meeting people throughout the constituency, Cox was inspired to take up the cause of loneliness because she met so many socially isolated individuals, Leadbeater said. It is striking how many of the profiles of Thomas Mair, the man who shot Cox, refer to him as a “loner” and as “reclusive”. Leadbeater does not believe Mair’s crime could have been averted if he had lived a less solitary life, but she is convinced that isolation has “a very negative impact”. “The best case scenario is that you just feel lonely and the worst case scenario you get drawn towards ways of dealing with that which are incredibly destructive,” she said. |
| The commission on loneliness set up by Cox warned in December that loneliness can be as harmful to health as smoking 15 cigarettes a day, and stated that more than 9 million people always or often feel lonely. | The commission on loneliness set up by Cox warned in December that loneliness can be as harmful to health as smoking 15 cigarettes a day, and stated that more than 9 million people always or often feel lonely. |
| As part of its work to combat that crisis, the Jo Cox Foundation is announcing a second “great get together”, a weekend of community-building events in the MP’s honour. Last year it was held on the anniversary of her death. This year, it will be held on what would have been her 44th birthday, 22 June. | As part of its work to combat that crisis, the Jo Cox Foundation is announcing a second “great get together”, a weekend of community-building events in the MP’s honour. Last year it was held on the anniversary of her death. This year, it will be held on what would have been her 44th birthday, 22 June. |
| The idea is to promote community spirit by having lunches and public gatherings, encouraging people to forge new connections, in the spirit of people having “more in common that that which divides us”, a point highlighted in Cox’s maiden parliamentary speech. | The idea is to promote community spirit by having lunches and public gatherings, encouraging people to forge new connections, in the spirit of people having “more in common that that which divides us”, a point highlighted in Cox’s maiden parliamentary speech. |
| The 18 months since her sister’s death have been made more challenging for her family by the string of violent attacks in London and Manchester. “Any time something like that happens we are massively shaken emotionally,” said Leadbeater. It is extremely heartbreaking to see other people go through what we have been through. When you have been through something so horrific you think about the families of the victims; you know what the next 24 hours are like, and what the next weeks and months are like and how life has changes forever – beyond recognition in our case.” | The 18 months since her sister’s death have been made more challenging for her family by the string of violent attacks in London and Manchester. “Any time something like that happens we are massively shaken emotionally,” said Leadbeater. It is extremely heartbreaking to see other people go through what we have been through. When you have been through something so horrific you think about the families of the victims; you know what the next 24 hours are like, and what the next weeks and months are like and how life has changes forever – beyond recognition in our case.” |
| This Christmas was much harder for the family than the first one they spent without her. “Last year we were totally numb and on autopilot,” she said. “This year the reality was more acute.” But Cox’s children, now five and seven, are doing very well. “They are bathed in love and the family has done a fantastic job at keeping them safe,” said Leadbeater. “They have so much of Jo in their personalities – they are extremely positive and resilient, so being around them is wonderful and heartbreaking at the same time.” | This Christmas was much harder for the family than the first one they spent without her. “Last year we were totally numb and on autopilot,” she said. “This year the reality was more acute.” But Cox’s children, now five and seven, are doing very well. “They are bathed in love and the family has done a fantastic job at keeping them safe,” said Leadbeater. “They have so much of Jo in their personalities – they are extremely positive and resilient, so being around them is wonderful and heartbreaking at the same time.” |
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