:00:19. > :00:24.My Lords, Jo Cox was clearly a remarkable woman. I never met her,
:00:25. > :00:27.tragically the first thing I knew about her was that she had been
:00:28. > :00:32.killed. We are shocked that a young woman in the prime of her life has
:00:33. > :00:36.been stabbed and shot dead in the streets of town like Birstall on
:00:37. > :00:41.Thursday lunchtime. We are sad that a husband has lost his wife and two
:00:42. > :00:46.young children will never see their mother again. And we are horrified
:00:47. > :00:50.because Jo was a member of Parliament killed by a constituent
:00:51. > :00:58.whilst she was going about her work serving the people of Batley and
:00:59. > :01:02.Spen. My Lords, we have learned a lot about Jo over the past few days.
:01:03. > :01:06.None of us could fail to be impressed by her dedication and
:01:07. > :01:13.commitment, both before and since entering Parliament. She was a woman
:01:14. > :01:17.who clearly cared about other people. She had travelled far, had
:01:18. > :01:25.wide horizons, and she thought big. For me, most moving has been hearing
:01:26. > :01:28.what with clearly a woman with a passion for the world say in her
:01:29. > :01:32.maiden speech how proud she was to come from Yorkshire and be
:01:33. > :01:36.representing the place where she had grown up and the people she had
:01:37. > :01:41.grown up amongst. The impression she gave this stranger, listening to
:01:42. > :01:48.have the first time, was that Jo Cox was a woman who knew who she was,
:01:49. > :01:53.and I really like that. My Lords, we are not just paying tribute to Jo
:01:54. > :01:59.Cox today. We are standing in solidarity. Shoulder to shoulder
:02:00. > :02:03.with the other house of parliament. The House of Commons has lost one of
:02:04. > :02:10.its own in the most dreadful circumstances. It is not the first
:02:11. > :02:18.time, over the last 40 years we have lost Robert Bradford, Anthony Berry
:02:19. > :02:21.and Ian Gow at the hands of IRA terrorists. One of them was holding
:02:22. > :02:26.a constituency surgery at the time of the attack and his caretaker was
:02:27. > :02:32.also killed. Thankfully, Stephen Timms survived a violent attack by a
:02:33. > :02:39.constituent as did the noble Lord Lord Jones though tragically the
:02:40. > :02:43.Lord's assistant was killed in that attack. But Jo Cox is the first MP
:02:44. > :02:51.to be killed in the line of duty by a constituent. My Lords, today, as
:02:52. > :02:54.leader of this house and behalf of all noble Lords, I would like to pay
:02:55. > :02:59.tribute to all members of the other place. Our elected colleagues who
:03:00. > :03:05.follow their vacation to improve things for the benefit of those they
:03:06. > :03:10.represent. Their route to Parliament is rarely easy and it can take
:03:11. > :03:15.years. It's usual for them to have to accept failure many times before
:03:16. > :03:19.being selected, to represent their party, hopefully in a winnable seat,
:03:20. > :03:24.and often not before they have had to stand and lose in a hopeless one.
:03:25. > :03:29.Those who do make it work tirelessly for their constituents, not to say
:03:30. > :03:33.in weight since the bucket every wake -- in Westminster, but every
:03:34. > :03:40.week in their constituency. But as the last election showed, they could
:03:41. > :03:44.be rejected if the electorate are fed up with their party at large.
:03:45. > :03:49.The British people deserve the best public servants to represent them in
:03:50. > :03:53.Parliament. Jo Cox was clearly a great public servant for her
:03:54. > :04:00.constituents. And thankfully in that respect, she was far from alone.
:04:01. > :04:03.Marking her death, tragic and unfair as it is, present at least one
:04:04. > :04:09.opportunity for the sake of good democracy and it is this. For those
:04:10. > :04:11.of us who know how hard MPs work for to raise awareness of their
:04:12. > :04:19.commitment to the people they represent. My Lords, behalf of the
:04:20. > :04:23.whole house, I offer my sincere condolences to Jo's husband,
:04:24. > :04:27.children, parents, sister and all her family and friends. On behalf of
:04:28. > :04:32.the Conservative Party in this house, I offer all of our colleagues
:04:33. > :04:36.on the Labour benches our deepest sympathies for the loss of their
:04:37. > :04:41.dear friend. And finally, my Lords, on behalf of the House of Lords, I
:04:42. > :04:52.offer our condolences and respect to our colleagues in the other place.
:04:53. > :04:58.My Lords, may I thank the leader for her comments today. The murder of Jo
:04:59. > :05:02.Cox MP almost defies words. It is so devastating, so heartbreaking, any
:05:03. > :05:07.words are inadequate to express the scale and depth of the loss. The
:05:08. > :05:11.loss to Brendan and her children, her parents, sister and family, and
:05:12. > :05:16.that wider family or friends, colleagues and constituents. And it
:05:17. > :05:20.is a loss that has affected everybody who knew her, but also so
:05:21. > :05:25.many mayor who had not yet get to know her. And it is not just a loss
:05:26. > :05:29.for her and what she was, but the loss of what would have been and
:05:30. > :05:33.what more she would have done. It is a loss that is so profound and
:05:34. > :05:40.overwhelming, that we, individually and collectively as a nation, are
:05:41. > :05:45.the poorer for it. Jo was clearly very special, exceptional.
:05:46. > :05:50.Physically tiny Yorkshire lass, five foot high, she was morally and
:05:51. > :05:53.intellectually strong, driven by her values. She knew she had a role to
:05:54. > :05:57.play in creating a better country and world. And for the all too short
:05:58. > :06:01.time she was in Parliament, she brought those values with all the
:06:02. > :06:07.skills, experience and knowledge from her past roles with Oxfam and
:06:08. > :06:13.NGOs, working with Glenys Kinnock, to her life as a Labour MP. We have
:06:14. > :06:17.heard her describe as a force of nature, decent and determined. She
:06:18. > :06:20.made people feel good about themselves and what they could
:06:21. > :06:24.achieve. She was passionate and serious and she was good fun. As one
:06:25. > :06:29.of her friends in the House of Commons said, she was the best of
:06:30. > :06:36.us, and she made the best of us. She saw that her role in politics could
:06:37. > :06:40.be a force for good, a force that could make lives better. And that is
:06:41. > :06:44.what brought her like so many others into politics. Our democracy will be
:06:45. > :06:50.serious the undermined and weakened if his outrage stops our brightest
:06:51. > :06:55.and best stepping forward into public life. When good people with
:06:56. > :06:58.passion and principle tell their family and friends they want to be a
:06:59. > :07:05.counsellor or member of Parliament, I want their families to be proud of
:07:06. > :07:08.them. Not to fear for them. Yet the level of vitriol and violence
:07:09. > :07:11.contaminating our public and political life will deter some of
:07:12. > :07:17.the best people that we need the most. Almost every MP can report
:07:18. > :07:22.threats and abuse, sometimes violent. And although social media
:07:23. > :07:26.makes it easier, it is too easy just to bring the Internet. All of this
:07:27. > :07:30.has coincided with a deterioration of political debate. Of course we
:07:31. > :07:34.must argue our differences on policy with emotion and conviction, but too
:07:35. > :07:39.many have gone beyond that. The tone of the debate and the language,
:07:40. > :07:43.particularly around immigration and asylum seekers, shames many. The
:07:44. > :07:47.drip feed of denigration and abuse poisons the very air that we
:07:48. > :07:51.breathe. So those of us who can speak out and those of us who report
:07:52. > :07:56.and write needs to think very carefully about past actions and
:07:57. > :08:01.words and the way forward. In the words of Jo's husband Brendan, Jo
:08:02. > :08:05.would have wanted us to, and I quote, all unite to fight against
:08:06. > :08:12.the hatred that killed her. The hope for the future is that society comes
:08:13. > :08:18.to the fore. As we have seen from the reaction from the public home
:08:19. > :08:24.and abroad. And we saw the amazing coverage of the bravery of Bernard
:08:25. > :08:32.Kenny who risked his own life, and the love and loyalty of her
:08:33. > :08:36.assistant. My Lords... Excuse me. Over the weekend, my husband drew my
:08:37. > :08:45.attention to a 1968 crore in of Martin Luther King -- goring of
:08:46. > :08:49.Martin -- goring, saying, they think they have killed me, standing over a
:08:50. > :08:56.picture of a cross legged Ghandi. Despite his death, his passion lived
:08:57. > :09:02.on and through others achieved great things. So Jo's legacy has to be
:09:03. > :09:06.that same inspiration. An inspiration to others to continue
:09:07. > :09:10.her work. An inspiration to us all to be better. An inspiration to
:09:11. > :09:15.those who have encouraged hatred and bitterness that they must stop. And
:09:16. > :09:21.more than anything else, an inspiration to others to fulfil her
:09:22. > :09:24.promise and legacy. In the book of consultancies in Birstall, this
:09:25. > :09:31.message was left, and I can think of no finer tribute. -- book of
:09:32. > :09:35.condolences. This is a message from a young woman who had met Jo and it
:09:36. > :09:39.just says, you told me I would do great things. I am going to prove
:09:40. > :09:47.you write and I am going to carry on your legacy. My Lords, at this time
:09:48. > :09:52.of terrible shock and profound loss, I wish on behalf of the Liberal
:09:53. > :09:55.Democrat inches to extend our heartfelt sympathy to the
:09:56. > :10:02.constituents of Jo Cox, to our colleagues on the Labour benches and
:10:03. > :10:06.above all to Jo's husband, children, parents, sister and wider family. My
:10:07. > :10:11.Lords I am sure like many I have never had the privilege of meeting
:10:12. > :10:15.Jo Cox. But as I have listened to the outpouring of tributes that we
:10:16. > :10:18.have heard since the tragic event of Thursday afternoon, I realised that
:10:19. > :10:25.part of my sense of loss is that I did not have the opportunity to know
:10:26. > :10:30.such an incredible person. Jo Cox was a humanitarian, are deeply
:10:31. > :10:37.committed public servants, in her role as an aid worker she spent time
:10:38. > :10:41.with victims of rape in Darfur, with tribal elders in Afghanistan. She
:10:42. > :10:47.touched the lives of many across the world. Her knowledge and experience
:10:48. > :10:49.came together with her empathy and compassion and gave the voiceless
:10:50. > :10:54.strong and powerful voice in Parliament. Where she showed vision
:10:55. > :10:59.and courage are standing up for refugees and Syria. Jo Cox was a
:11:00. > :11:04.woman of courage and conviction. She fought passionately for the things
:11:05. > :11:07.he believed in, she fought for her constituents in Batley and Spen. She
:11:08. > :11:11.fought for those overseas who could not fight for themselves. And she
:11:12. > :11:19.fought to make this country a better place. My Lords, to be a member of
:11:20. > :11:26.Parliament, is both after -- and honour and a privilege. It is
:11:27. > :11:30.littered the elected but to serve your constituents, -- it is an
:11:31. > :11:35.honour to be elected, but to serve your constituents is deep and
:11:36. > :11:38.lasting honour. Tragically, Jo Cox lost her life in the line of
:11:39. > :11:43.Parliamentary duty, representing the people she was elected to serve. To
:11:44. > :11:47.be involved in politics is to be dedicated to public service, driven
:11:48. > :11:52.by a desire to make things better for our community and country and
:11:53. > :11:55.our world. And the days since her death, she has come to embody what
:11:56. > :11:59.is decent and good in our democracy. Too often, we see fear and division
:12:00. > :12:06.dominator Too often, we see fear and division
:12:07. > :12:11.dominate our debate. Jo rejected that approach, she wanted to build a
:12:12. > :12:15.country which was united. The words of her maiden speech in the Commons
:12:16. > :12:23.have been often quoted, because the truth contained in death intercity
:12:24. > :12:30.is there. -- in death intercity is there. We are far more in common
:12:31. > :12:33.than that that divides us. It is time to stop the anger and ask
:12:34. > :12:38.ourselves what sort of country we want to be. What can we do to truly
:12:39. > :12:43.on a Jo Cox who in her life said no to the easy option of cynicism and
:12:44. > :12:47.took the much harder route of making the world a better place. Jo Cox's
:12:48. > :12:52.murder is a wake-up call to all of us. If we can show an iota of the
:12:53. > :12:56.courage and love that she showed in her life, or one out of the
:12:57. > :13:00.compassion of bravery that her husband has changed since her death,
:13:01. > :13:05.-- one ounce of the compassion, we will create the better world that Jo
:13:06. > :13:09.lived and worked for. My Lords, her family, friends, constituents, our
:13:10. > :13:15.country and the global community, are so much poorer because of Jo
:13:16. > :13:21.Cox's death. But the world and the lives of countless people were made
:13:22. > :13:26.so much better by her life. Those named in the memory of her
:13:27. > :13:29.remarkable life of compassion and -- so may the memory of her remarkable
:13:30. > :13:39.life of passion and commitment remain with us all. I speak on
:13:40. > :13:44.behalf of Lord Crewe game, who is absent and regrets not being here,
:13:45. > :13:47.and I speak on behalf of my crossbench colleagues. I associate
:13:48. > :13:57.myself and these benches with the remarks already made by the noble
:13:58. > :14:03.Baroness Smith and noble Lords. We on these benches join others in
:14:04. > :14:08.sending our condolences to the family and friends of Jo Cox, Madrid
:14:09. > :14:14.parliament. In particular, our thoughts are with her husband
:14:15. > :14:18.Brendan and that two children. They have had their wife and mother taken
:14:19. > :14:25.away from them in such tragic, violent and cruel circumstances. The
:14:26. > :14:30.remarkable and extensive tributes paid to Jo Cox from across the
:14:31. > :14:35.political spectrum and across the world following her death is a
:14:36. > :14:42.testament to her character, commitment, personality and respect
:14:43. > :14:47.she was held in. Whilst admired and respected by all who knew her, Jo
:14:48. > :14:54.Cox was not widely known nationally. But many today including myself
:14:55. > :15:05.should sorely wish they had known and met her. One friend from a Hindi
:15:06. > :15:08.charity, the name of which means shout or make noise, described her
:15:09. > :15:14.as an advocate for the voiceless and those in poverty. Seeing her picture
:15:15. > :15:20.in a T-shirt with the logo of the parliament tug-of-war fund rising
:15:21. > :15:23.challenge between Lords and Commons, for MacMillan Cancer Support, defied
:15:24. > :15:28.her. As a politician, a philanthropist and sportsperson. In
:15:29. > :15:34.an e-mail forwarded to me, another friend of hers said this. Jo brought
:15:35. > :15:40.out the best in everyone, even when she was being tough. Quick to put
:15:41. > :15:45.people at ease, with her bubbly personality, even when recruiting
:15:46. > :15:52.people to join her to climb her beloved did Scottish mountains,
:15:53. > :15:57.apparently she enjoyed backing Munro 's. Her love of Scottish mountains
:15:58. > :16:02.reflected in the name of her son. The same friend also talked about
:16:03. > :16:09.humanity. She said Jo would see the same unanimity in the eyes of a
:16:10. > :16:13.doubtful child, -- eight Darfur child, a Syrian refugee or a lonely
:16:14. > :16:16.octogenarian. She worked for many charities but one close to my own
:16:17. > :16:20.interest is when she worked with Sarah Brown and the White ribbon
:16:21. > :16:23.Alliance to reduce maternal death in developing countries. Her efforts
:16:24. > :16:35.made a difference. As an MP, she made a huge impact.
:16:36. > :16:43.She spoke on subject close to her heart and raising concerns to
:16:44. > :16:47.constituents. Clearly, she was a hard-working member of Parliament.
:16:48. > :16:53.But she died a violent death while serving her constituents has shown a
:16:54. > :16:59.light on this important component of our democratic process. -- that she
:17:00. > :17:07.died. And the risks MPs face in the course of their duties. Even more so
:17:08. > :17:11.how women MPs. We all owe much to those in public life, especially our
:17:12. > :17:21.MPs. It is they who keep our democracy alive. For which, we
:17:22. > :17:24.should be grateful. I pay tribute today to Jo Cox, member of
:17:25. > :17:30.Parliament, whose life has been tragically cut short, but she still
:17:31. > :17:35.had much more together. The nation clearly has lost a rising star. Our
:17:36. > :17:47.thoughts and prayers are with her family and their great loss. I speak
:17:48. > :17:52.on the half of the archbishops and bishops and the Church of England in
:17:53. > :18:00.not wanting to repeat what has already been said, but to associate
:18:01. > :18:06.ourselves with those remarks. With deep sympathy to Brendan and the
:18:07. > :18:16.children and the wider family and to the members of the other place. We
:18:17. > :18:22.live with our mortality and the fragility of civilisation. It is not
:18:23. > :18:29.very deep and it can be easily penetrated. But when I heard of her
:18:30. > :18:35.death in my office in Leeds I was reminded of those words from Julius
:18:36. > :18:42.Caesar. Cowards die many times before their deaths, the valiant
:18:43. > :18:52.never taste of death, but once. My Lords, there are many cowards around
:18:53. > :18:57.who have died in -- inside. And Jo was the antithesis of that. She was
:18:58. > :19:04.full of life, passionate, intelligent and she was always
:19:05. > :19:10.generous. And her constituents, who I have spent the last few days with,
:19:11. > :19:14.are unequivocal about that. She said in her maiden speech that she was
:19:15. > :19:21.made in Yorkshire. And she went on to talk about manufacturing in
:19:22. > :19:27.Yorkshire. But her credibility was not only that she was local and that
:19:28. > :19:31.people knew where she had grown up and her family still live there, but
:19:32. > :19:37.she had travelled the world, engaged with issues, many of which we
:19:38. > :19:41.discuss, but of which we have very little first-hand knowledge. If I
:19:42. > :19:45.want to hear about refugees, I prefer to hear someone who knows
:19:46. > :19:55.what they are talking about, because they hang in there. And Jo Cox were
:19:56. > :20:03.certainly that. Christians look through a resurrection shaped lens
:20:04. > :20:09.called Hope. And appalling though her death is, I do want to pay
:20:10. > :20:14.tribute not only to Herbert to her constituents, who over the last
:20:15. > :20:22.weekend have had to engage with their own shock and grief in many
:20:23. > :20:30.cases -- and in many cases anger. -- to her constituents. Many places
:20:31. > :20:36.have opened and will continue to open to create a commonplace which
:20:37. > :20:41.people can live with their emotions and responses in. With their own
:20:42. > :20:50.memories of Jo Cox, not only their MP, but a daughter of their place.
:20:51. > :20:56.We pray that she will rest in peace and that her family will find peace.
:20:57. > :21:00.I pray that there still will be remembered more with the manner of
:21:01. > :21:07.her living them in the manner of her dying. As we look to the future from
:21:08. > :21:12.these benches, we would say with confidence that death of violence
:21:13. > :21:20.and destruction cannot and will not have the final word. But if we want
:21:21. > :21:27.to be the answer to our own prayers, then some 23 makes it clear. Then we
:21:28. > :21:31.are the people who will be the rod and the staff that will enable her
:21:32. > :21:41.friends and her family to continue as life continues for them. My
:21:42. > :21:48.Lords, the tragic death of my great friend Jo Cox is devastating and I
:21:49. > :21:53.send all my love to Brendan, their beloved children and her proud and
:21:54. > :21:57.devoted parents, Gordon and Jean. She came to work with me in the
:21:58. > :22:04.European Parliament is nearly 20 years ago as my diary secretary.
:22:05. > :22:07.Within weeks, it was obvious that she is a hugely intelligent,
:22:08. > :22:18.effervescent young woman who was going to do much more than the --
:22:19. > :22:25.than administer my logistical needs. She very rapidly became an innovator
:22:26. > :22:31.of thought and action. Our close and deep friendship was made then and it
:22:32. > :22:37.has enriched my life ever since. I was overjoyed when she had her
:22:38. > :22:41.lovely children and thrilled by her continual and earned successes,
:22:42. > :22:48.including her election to her native Batley and Spen last year. She has
:22:49. > :22:55.as I anticipate it being an outstanding parliamentarian. When
:22:56. > :22:58.she left me, her capacity for original thinking, practical deeds
:22:59. > :23:05.and team leadership showed that she was, as one of her colleagues said,
:23:06. > :23:10.pocket rocket. For the internationalist course of a
:23:11. > :23:15.development and justice she worked throughout her life. She was a
:23:16. > :23:21.unique mixture of high intelligence, gaiety, bravery, energy and
:23:22. > :23:26.kindness. And she had an endless capacity for hard work. Her whole
:23:27. > :23:35.life was dedicated to her fellow human beings. In her constituents,
:23:36. > :23:40.in Syria and Africa and elsewhere, where she offered practical and
:23:41. > :23:44.useful compassion. She fought tirelessly on every front for
:23:45. > :23:52.justice and against prejudice and poverty. She not only did nothing
:23:53. > :24:00.bad in her life, she much more importantly, successfully strove to
:24:01. > :24:05.always too good. Happily she was no saint, she was mischievous, Merry,
:24:06. > :24:12.irreverent as well as focused, determined, resilient and brave. I
:24:13. > :24:17.feel cheated by the lost of this precious and valiant young woman.
:24:18. > :24:24.Our country and world has been robbed of a unique talent. I cannot
:24:25. > :24:32.imagine what madness could have taken this truly wonderful young
:24:33. > :24:37.woman from us. It has punished goodness with badness. It has left
:24:38. > :24:43.so many of us feeling of emptiness. We must overcome that. Jo Cox would
:24:44. > :24:48.have said... Don't mourn, work and organise and campaign for a better
:24:49. > :24:57.world." I hope that we would and will heed her. Jo was beautiful
:24:58. > :25:02.inside and out. She was brave, bold. As the world now knows, she was a
:25:03. > :25:06.truly extraordinary woman, but she was also utterly normal. A
:25:07. > :25:10.working-class Yorkshire lass with a strong family, she adored her
:25:11. > :25:16.children and put them first. She was a wife, daughter, sister and friend.
:25:17. > :25:23.She understood the community she served. She had expect drastic
:25:24. > :25:32.capacity for connecting with people. -- a fantastic capacity. She climbed
:25:33. > :25:37.mountains and in camp worked in countries torn apart by conflict.
:25:38. > :25:42.Her enthusiasm for life was infectious. It is true that if you
:25:43. > :25:48.bump into her during the day your day got better her life was devoted
:25:49. > :25:53.to changing the world. Many of us say we want to change the world. But
:25:54. > :25:58.that is exactly what she did. Through work with those fleeing war
:25:59. > :26:02.and hunger and through her work as a member of Parliament. She was a
:26:03. > :26:06.powerful advocate who gave a voice to the voiceless and fought
:26:07. > :26:11.passionately against injustice. She was a great human being. She loved
:26:12. > :26:16.this country, but she was a real European and a citizen of the world.
:26:17. > :26:25.She was recognised as a young global leader. The fact that her 42nd per
:26:26. > :26:29.code on Wednesday -- her 42nd birthday on Wednesday is being
:26:30. > :26:34.commemorated is a testament to her global reach. She literally touched
:26:35. > :26:39.lives throughout the world. In my book, Jo is the best sort of
:26:40. > :26:43.politician. Labour to the call, but she understood there are good people
:26:44. > :26:47.in most parties and sometimes, in order to bring about change coming
:26:48. > :26:52.to reach out to those of different political persuasion. She knew how
:26:53. > :26:56.to build bridges. And also have to disagree in an agreeable wary. Her
:26:57. > :27:02.murder was a tragedy that they are terrible and lasting impact. But
:27:03. > :27:06.also an attack on our society and democracy. As an optimist, hope and
:27:07. > :27:10.believe it will have a lasting effect on the way we do politics and
:27:11. > :27:16.the way politicians are regarded by the public. Public service should be
:27:17. > :27:22.celebrated. Politicians follow a noble profession. Most do a great
:27:23. > :27:26.job. Too often, they are undermined by the corrosion of cynicism and
:27:27. > :27:31.from the content that is dangerous and contagious. Someone wrote in the
:27:32. > :27:36.memorials... You cannot kill democracy. My Lords, we will not let
:27:37. > :27:41.that happen. But democracy is fragile. Our politicians are
:27:42. > :27:45.vulnerable. Her life and words are a testament to the fact that there is
:27:46. > :27:54.more in our communities that unite us than divides us. And the Prime
:27:55. > :27:59.Minister and Jeremy Corbyn laying wreaths gave us a message of unity.
:28:00. > :28:02.There are times for debate, but also to stand together. Despite the fact
:28:03. > :28:08.she worked in the most difficult and fragile parts of the world, where
:28:09. > :28:15.lives are degraded, she never ceased to love people and love life. She
:28:16. > :28:24.was generous in friendship, fun and I will remember her for many things.
:28:25. > :28:28.My fondest memory of a -- is of an early evening last summer. Summer at
:28:29. > :28:34.the cottage, that was the only way for the adventurous family to cook.
:28:35. > :28:45.Her beautiful children were running around whilst she and others put the
:28:46. > :28:49.world to rights. The tone of democracy, decency and tolerance was
:28:50. > :28:54.set by Brendan on a remarkable statement he crafted so soon after
:28:55. > :29:07.her murder. Me that they continue in our politics and public life. May
:29:08. > :29:15.her unquenchable spirit live on. My auntie said she voted for Jo Cox
:29:16. > :29:20.this week. What she said was that she voted Remain because she was
:29:21. > :29:24.advised to do so. Jo Cox talk to her and my aunt thought she was lovely.
:29:25. > :29:29.And she voted for her and joined the rest of the world in our admiration
:29:30. > :29:43.for this woman, who we hope our politicians should be like. I was
:29:44. > :29:52.born in Batley and Spen and so was my family. My father was a Labour
:29:53. > :29:57.Party member and I am proud to have been made in Yorkshire as well.
:29:58. > :30:03.I joined ordinary people to pay respect to this amazing woman and
:30:04. > :30:07.her family in Birstall yesterday. There was such a sense of deep
:30:08. > :30:12.sadness and loss, and talking to people, they know the international
:30:13. > :30:16.and national significance of the political assassination of the local
:30:17. > :30:21.and much loved MP. Ordinary, decent Yorkshire folk who cannot believe
:30:22. > :30:26.that this happened in their town. I was not sure whether I should speak
:30:27. > :30:30.today because unlike others, I only knew and grew to admire Jo Cox in
:30:31. > :30:35.the last few years. But my family and friends said a local Yorkshire
:30:36. > :30:39.voice should be heard in this House today. And that I was to say that
:30:40. > :30:44.this is not what the people Batley and Spen alike. And to say how
:30:45. > :30:49.terribly shocked they are at the waist of the lovely, warm, vibrant,
:30:50. > :30:58.effective, honest and special politician who belonged to them. And
:30:59. > :31:02.they wonder, like my auntie Marie, who said yesterday, what have we
:31:03. > :31:10.done to create a world where this can happen? Jo was committed to
:31:11. > :31:14.bringing the voices of those outside the corridors of power inside its
:31:15. > :31:18.walls and in that spirit I wanted this House today to hear from a few
:31:19. > :31:21.of those who do not work in Parliament but who you Jo as a
:31:22. > :31:27.friend, mother and a college. From her school friends, Louise and
:31:28. > :31:31.Heidi. We have always known Jo was special. We're not surprised at how
:31:32. > :31:35.many people man know this. We love you like a sister. You will be
:31:36. > :31:40.greatly missed, you funny, bright and wonderful girl. From Katie, a
:31:41. > :31:44.university friend. Jo was human, she had fears and she spoke about them.
:31:45. > :31:51.But she ensured that love triumphed over fear. Jo radiated love. From
:31:52. > :31:54.Simon and Jenny, family friends. We remember Jo on her wedding day,
:31:55. > :31:59.tucking up our wedding dress to play football with the children, running
:32:00. > :32:04.around the woods, taking the kids on a hike to spot badges at night,
:32:05. > :32:08.cooking us nettle soup. Her fingers tingling because she couldn't find
:32:09. > :32:12.the right goals. Dancing at a festival. She will live a great hole
:32:13. > :32:17.in this world, but let it not be in vain. From Michelle, I would go
:32:18. > :32:21.around the office tidying up after her, picking up bits of clothing,
:32:22. > :32:25.cycling gear, he straighteners. She was a stickler on making sure I had
:32:26. > :32:28.blocked out time in the diary so she could be with the children. I will
:32:29. > :32:34.miss my friends so very much but I will always be inspired by her. From
:32:35. > :32:38.Tom and his family. The last time we saw her and be said a light-hearted
:32:39. > :32:41.fare well, she said this of motherhood. I love creating moments
:32:42. > :32:46.of magic for them, it is my favourite part of being a mother.
:32:47. > :32:49.And she did every single day. But maybe without realising it, she did
:32:50. > :32:55.the same for every person she met. She sought solutions, not barriers.
:32:56. > :33:02.She attacked problems like a bag of nettles and blitzed them into soup.
:33:03. > :33:06.When so much has been written and said about her death, I hope people
:33:07. > :33:11.will remember Jo for her life but of more than anyone I knew, she cruelly
:33:12. > :33:16.let her values, not just exposed them. When I lose my way and my
:33:17. > :33:19.voice, I hope the memory of Jo bath eye friendship and unwavering
:33:20. > :33:23.commitment to fight for a better world will strengthen me with some
:33:24. > :33:32.of her courage and optimism. Of the many messages from her houseboat
:33:33. > :33:36.neighbours, he is just one. -- UAs. She is very special for her kindness
:33:37. > :33:39.and care and will be remembered by everyone who knew her, also people
:33:40. > :33:47.who heard about her. Her body was kindness and care. Lastly, another
:33:48. > :33:51.university friend, Jane Brady. Most of all, Jo was a man who deeply
:33:52. > :33:55.loved her children and want to do well to be a better place for all
:33:56. > :33:59.children. The last time we spoke, she was very tired. The kids had
:34:00. > :34:03.been poorly and she wondered if she really was making a difference. I
:34:04. > :34:11.just want to say to her, look at the world now, Jo, it is so much better
:34:12. > :34:16.for having had you in it. My Lords, it is most impossible to express how
:34:17. > :34:26.devastated I am by what has happened to Jo. Jo was a truly remarkable
:34:27. > :34:30.person. Remarkable for the wonderful food that she and Brendan could
:34:31. > :34:37.produce in the tiny, cramped galley of their narrow boat. Remarkable for
:34:38. > :34:42.their love of wild country in the borders of Wales or amongst their
:34:43. > :34:48.beloved Scottish mountains. Remarkable of all for the
:34:49. > :34:56.astonishing amount that she had achieved in only a year as an MP. Jo
:34:57. > :35:00.will also be remembered as a remarkable, bright, energetic and
:35:01. > :35:06.highly respected student at Pembroke College in Cambridge, the college of
:35:07. > :35:13.which I am now the master. She was and is much loved by her fellow
:35:14. > :35:18.students, and especially by those who taught her. As students and
:35:19. > :35:25.fellows have in recent weeks been collecting funds to support Syrian
:35:26. > :35:31.refugees. We will now be making our collective donation in Jo's name. In
:35:32. > :35:36.due course, we will hope to establish a studentship in her
:35:37. > :35:41.memory for a refugee student or for someone from a background like hers,
:35:42. > :35:48.who might otherwise find it difficult to come to Cambridge. Jo
:35:49. > :35:59.stood for the politics of hope and love. She has been cruelly taken
:36:00. > :36:04.from us by fear and hate. And there has been too much fear and hate, has
:36:05. > :36:14.there not, in recent weeks? We must dedicate ourselves to continue her
:36:15. > :36:21.work. I knew Jo because we back -- both worked for the connects, for
:36:22. > :36:25.the browns, for the labour women's network, and we both had a habit of
:36:26. > :36:30.ending up in refugee camps. In the run-up to Jo's election as an MP she
:36:31. > :36:35.told me that my diary had nearly put her off. The thing is, she said, my
:36:36. > :36:44.constituency could never caused me as much grief is yours. This is the
:36:45. > :36:49.only thing Jo was wrong about. Jo has suffered more than anyone of us
:36:50. > :36:55.in Parliament. Joel has given more than any one of us in Parliament.
:36:56. > :37:02.Therefore, Jo now represents more than anyone of us in Parliament. Jo
:37:03. > :37:10.represents civilisation in much the same way as her murderer represents
:37:11. > :37:15.barbarism. Glenys told us that she was no saint, but let me tell you
:37:16. > :37:20.why she was an angel. She is one of a tiny percentage of the world's
:37:21. > :37:23.population, a truly, truly infinitesimal percentage of the
:37:24. > :37:29.world's population, who genuinely care about other people's children
:37:30. > :37:37.as much as they care for their own, and then act on it. But apart from
:37:38. > :37:41.being an angel, Jo was also a proper policy person and she would want us
:37:42. > :37:46.to be talking about the policies as much as the personality. And because
:37:47. > :37:50.she was an angel, she would most likely be the first to point out we
:37:51. > :37:57.mustn't just rage against her murderer, we must seek to understand
:37:58. > :38:03.what leads an isolated, mentally ill man to kill. What is it that whipped
:38:04. > :38:08.him up into a frenzy? Who is it that whipped up into the frenzy? Because
:38:09. > :38:14.it was not Jo. Ordered all of us with him into a frenzy? Was it
:38:15. > :38:18.written pubs -- Britain's public discourse that whipped him into a
:38:19. > :38:23.frenzy? Then our cultural discourse must change and that must be Jo's
:38:24. > :38:28.legacy, a kinder, more tolerant Britain. And in that kind of
:38:29. > :38:32.Britain, one of the first questions is, just how many isolated and
:38:33. > :38:40.mentally ill people are there among us? Which policy failures have
:38:41. > :38:45.contributed to their plight, and why aren't those isolated and mentally
:38:46. > :38:49.ill people not our priority, not an afterthought? Why are we not heeding
:38:50. > :38:54.the police when they say the single biggest shared factor of extremists
:38:55. > :38:57.who carry out terror attacks, whether Islamic extremists or white
:38:58. > :39:06.British nationalists, is untreated mental health issues? Jo would ask,
:39:07. > :39:10.why are our mental health services Cinderella services? In fact, she
:39:11. > :39:17.did ask that in Parliament. And why do poorer communities in general and
:39:18. > :39:21.refugees in particular is always have to pay the highest price? This
:39:22. > :39:26.is what Jo said a few weeks ago when speaking in favour of the amendment
:39:27. > :39:30.on refugee children. She said, Syrian families are being forced to
:39:31. > :39:33.make an impossible decision. Stay and faced starvation, rape,
:39:34. > :39:37.persecution and death, or make a powerless journey to find century.
:39:38. > :39:42.Who can blame desperate parents wanted to escape the horror?
:39:43. > :39:47.Children being killed on the way to school. I know I would risk life and
:39:48. > :39:52.limb to get my two precious babies out of that hellhole. And it is hard
:39:53. > :39:55.to think about Jo's precious babies today, even if they have an
:39:56. > :40:02.extraordinary family and a father, Brandon, who radiates love and is
:40:03. > :40:06.surely the most dignified man in Britain. -- Brendan. Jo concluded,
:40:07. > :40:13.any MP who has seen the desperation and fear on the faces of children
:40:14. > :40:18.trapped in camps across Europe must surely feel compelled to act. I urge
:40:19. > :40:24.them to be brave and bold, that is what Jo said. That is how I conclude
:40:25. > :40:28.this tribute to Jo. I urge everyone who contributes to Britain both
:40:29. > :40:34.black public discourse to be brave and bold. -- Britain's public
:40:35. > :40:38.discourse. I ask parliamentarians to transcribe her kindness into
:40:39. > :40:43.legislation because that is how we drain the hate that killed her.
:40:44. > :40:49.Tragedy brings focus, Jo represent us now in a way others do not. Her
:40:50. > :40:53.words mean even more narrow and unless we heed the tone of her
:40:54. > :40:58.words, how life could have been lost in vain and not just for the sake of
:40:59. > :41:07.Jobar for British democracy, that can never be. The Jo Cox was proud
:41:08. > :41:13.to be a member of the Labour Party, and that made the family as proud of
:41:14. > :41:17.her. There are some people in families as well as political
:41:18. > :41:21.parties who you try to judge but Jo was someone who improved your day.
:41:22. > :41:26.She was a passionate believer in the power of good, and many dark corners
:41:27. > :41:29.of the world have lost a passionate human rights defender. So many
:41:30. > :41:34.people have lost a woman who was a joy and an inspiration to work with.
:41:35. > :41:40.People who she had worked with for nearly two decades, in Parliament,
:41:41. > :41:43.in the Labour Party offices, at party headquarters and party offices
:41:44. > :41:50.up and down the country. Even before she became an MP, how many friends
:41:51. > :41:54.-- how many friends, as well as my friends and from -- former
:41:55. > :41:58.colleagues in Gordon Brown's offices, valued her insight and
:41:59. > :42:03.compassion, not least in the work she did with Sarah Brown and women's
:42:04. > :42:07.health. They are all part of this tribute to Jo, who loved life, her
:42:08. > :42:13.country, our world and most of all her family. I met Brendan when he
:42:14. > :42:18.was a student and I know that he has shown himself to be so brave and so
:42:19. > :42:24.strong. We mourn their loss but he and her family should know that all
:42:25. > :42:28.of us are absolutely and resolutely united and determined to counter the
:42:29. > :42:40.hate that killed Jo and to prove that hate dart-mac sorry, that hope
:42:41. > :42:44.does beat hate. I did not know Jo very well and of course I had every
:42:45. > :42:47.expectation and hope I would get to know her better and work more
:42:48. > :42:52.closely with her in the months and years ahead. She came to see me some
:42:53. > :42:56.three years ago as chair of labour women's network to talk about an
:42:57. > :43:01.idea she had for a women's think tank. We discussed what that might
:43:02. > :43:07.look like but of course, we went onto other issues, international
:43:08. > :43:13.development, women in Parliament, and other passions. I assumed that
:43:14. > :43:17.with power, with a charming energy, that think tank would go ahead, but
:43:18. > :43:22.it was not to the because some few short months later she was elected
:43:23. > :43:27.and the think tank was put on the back burner, maybe something we
:43:28. > :43:33.should ponder again. She came to see me about a year ago with a friend.
:43:34. > :43:37.She brought that friend, who was a Conservative who wanted to be a
:43:38. > :43:41.woman MP will stop not all members of other parties are so generous as
:43:42. > :43:46.to share their friends with other parties, and indeed, a living
:43:47. > :43:53.embodiment of power, as she says, we have far more in common with each
:43:54. > :43:58.other than things that divide us. My Lords, initially, I was concerned
:43:59. > :44:03.that this terrible, tragic death would put women off coming forward.
:44:04. > :44:11.But I wonder if in fact that is the case. I hope perhaps that her
:44:12. > :44:15.passion, her inspiration, compassion, will fact encourage
:44:16. > :44:22.women who have got what it takes, the resilience, to do so, there
:44:23. > :44:35.could be no better tribute to her if they do. For 20 years, I knew and
:44:36. > :44:41.cherished Jo Cox as a friend dart-mac Order. I do apologise but I
:44:42. > :44:51.think there are two speakers because the noble Lord is going to conclude
:44:52. > :45:01.the tributes. My Lords. Jo Cox was my MP.
:45:02. > :45:09.She was savagely attacked and murdered on the street just yards
:45:10. > :45:15.from where we were due to campaign on an issue about which we both
:45:16. > :45:26.cared passionately. Europe. That was not to be. Jo had strongly held
:45:27. > :45:32.principled views. She was willing to work with all those who would make a
:45:33. > :45:37.difference. Following her murder there has been an outpouring of love
:45:38. > :45:44.for Jo. The floral tributes placed in the marketplace grow daily.
:45:45. > :45:54.Yesterday over 100 came within just one hour. The messages speak of real
:45:55. > :46:03.help given, concerns listened to, anxieties lightened. People in her
:46:04. > :46:14.constituency of Batley and spend knew who she was. Jo in her too
:46:15. > :46:22.brief time as our MP visited countless schools, community groups
:46:23. > :46:27.and businesses. Everywhere she went she gave support and encouragement.
:46:28. > :46:36.Be ambitious. Yes you can, was her mantra. Be positive. The hopeful.
:46:37. > :46:43.The evening she died, the local church held a vigil, the church was
:46:44. > :46:54.packed. Literally, standing room only. They included people from all
:46:55. > :47:04.faiths and none. Christians, Muslims, Sikhs together. Morning.
:47:05. > :47:10.The following day I had reason to work into Birstall. In Yorkshire,
:47:11. > :47:15.when you meet someone in the street, you say hello. That day the mood was
:47:16. > :47:25.heavy, sombre. Nobody wanted to speak. So there were no words. But
:47:26. > :47:34.there was an understanding that what had happened to Jo was a tragedy
:47:35. > :47:44.beyond words. And awful barbaric attack on her, a huge, overwhelming
:47:45. > :47:53.sense of loss of a special person whose life was so brutally cut short
:47:54. > :48:07.and, yes, a sense of anger that our democracy had been violently this
:48:08. > :48:14.merchant. -- besmirched. I was speaking to some people yesterday.
:48:15. > :48:19.Jo had been to their school several times. At first they said no one was
:48:20. > :48:26.interested in politics, it was pointless. But no more. Jo Hart MPs
:48:27. > :48:32.to many to show what could be campaigned by political campaigning.
:48:33. > :48:41.Especially the girls. We in Batley and Spen have lost a remarkable
:48:42. > :48:47.girl. The country has lost a spirited advocate for the poor and
:48:48. > :48:54.dispossessed wherever they live. Her family has lost the person they
:48:55. > :49:11.love. We are all the poorer for her passing. My Lords, Jo Cox erupted in
:49:12. > :49:16.my inbox about six months ago. The voice was demanding not to be
:49:17. > :49:20.ignored. As I soon discovered, not to be resisted either. She demanded
:49:21. > :49:28.that I work with her to help identify the cause of the starving
:49:29. > :49:33.in the besieged cities of Syria. I met with her, how could I
:49:34. > :49:39.conceivably resist? I was very privileged to do it. I'd worked with
:49:40. > :49:45.her for some months. I have to say, she did the work, not me. I have to
:49:46. > :49:51.say, she writes extremely well. She wrote. Her energy and commitment
:49:52. > :49:58.moved the public debate to public attention. Yesterday, I looked at
:49:59. > :50:06.the last time I saw her, three weeks ago. In two big fashion, she wrote,
:50:07. > :50:12.I'm sorry to disturb your bank holiday break, please will you sign
:50:13. > :50:19.the above attachment. I did, of course. I wrote back and said, you
:50:20. > :50:23.are wonderful. Of course, thanks. I have so much to do with the
:50:24. > :50:34.referendum I have so little time to do anything else. I said, the people
:50:35. > :50:46.of Syria are so lucky to have you. She wrote back, keep up the good
:50:47. > :50:50.work, X. What else would you expect? We talked about the starving in
:50:51. > :50:56.Syria and how we could make politics more sensible. How we could deliver
:50:57. > :51:03.on her passion expressed in her maiden speech to celebrate
:51:04. > :51:11.diversity. We spoke about a poem and she insisted I send it to her. I
:51:12. > :51:16.have to confess, I forgot. I will quote it now because I think it sums
:51:17. > :51:20.up the value of life as some others have said cut too tragically short
:51:21. > :51:28.but lived extraordinarily well. Goes like this: we are all the more one
:51:29. > :51:36.because we are many. We have left an ample space for love in the gap
:51:37. > :51:39.where we were sundered. In our likeness shines the radiance of a
:51:40. > :51:46.common creation like mountain peaks in the morning sun. Those were the
:51:47. > :51:52.values for which she lived her life and, perhaps, for which she may have
:51:53. > :51:57.died. If we do our best to live to those values, our politics will be
:51:58. > :52:09.more successful, our nation more successful and secure. My Lords, may
:52:10. > :52:16.I express my gratitude for my colleagues on all sides of the house
:52:17. > :52:20.to Jo Cox and say also to those who haven't voiced their sympathy this
:52:21. > :52:28.afternoon that we do understand that it is nonetheless deeply felt and
:52:29. > :52:36.sincerely felt. For 20 years I knew and cherished Jo Cox as a friend and
:52:37. > :52:41.as a young woman of great personal and political vivacious must. In
:52:42. > :52:48.life, she was brilliant in all respects. Her death was appalling in
:52:49. > :52:55.its ugly brutality and dreadful injustice. As I reeled with a
:52:56. > :53:03.horrified shock of hearing what had happened to Jo, I confess, my Lords,
:53:04. > :53:10.I felt misery mixed with hatred. Hatred for whoever had terrified and
:53:11. > :53:16.killed her. Hatred for The Times and the conditions which had made
:53:17. > :53:21.someone feel that they were justified in being brutally extreme.
:53:22. > :53:29.Then I realised that my outrage was useless. Not for the first time, I
:53:30. > :53:36.recognised that hate cannot be beaten with hatred. Jo Cox would
:53:37. > :53:46.have said do not hate in my name. She might even have quoted Gandhi.
:53:47. > :53:52.And I for an eye makes the whole world blind. Then she would have
:53:53. > :53:57.offered a brave, rational response to the malicious incoherence of an
:53:58. > :54:03.environment in which a minority of people think they can write and
:54:04. > :54:10.speak and do violence to anyone if they have an excuse of enthusiasm,
:54:11. > :54:21.or Offense, of partisan ship, or even of a what form of Pat Richards.
:54:22. > :54:31.My lord, Jo's response would not have lacked passion. She was never
:54:32. > :54:40.cold or clinical. This spirited woman would have centred on realism
:54:41. > :54:44.and been driven by rationalism. She would have pursued the cause of the
:54:45. > :54:52.rage and put bold ideas into action to counteract them. We know that
:54:53. > :55:01.because that is what she always did when confronted by a new monetary,
:55:02. > :55:10.bigotry, injustice or the needs of her constituency. Now, we are part
:55:11. > :55:14.of the reasonable majority and we must employ truth against divisive
:55:15. > :55:21.fiction and distortion. Reality against prejudice. Hard-headed
:55:22. > :55:28.common-sense against delusion. We have two combat hatred in its
:55:29. > :55:33.public, lethal forms, in the bilious preaching of demagogues, in the sly
:55:34. > :55:45.dog whistles of populists and when it loses as a cowardly, anonymous
:55:46. > :55:50.social media secretion. I Lords, maladjusted individuals may claim
:55:51. > :55:56.their responsibility is diminished, politicians and newspapers with
:55:57. > :56:03.voices that shape views may not. We have to fight hatred that is incited
:56:04. > :56:08.and nourished by those whose purposes are served by fostering
:56:09. > :56:15.fear, fear of change, fear of insecurity, fear of foreigners. That
:56:16. > :56:20.is our duty, not simply to ourselves but to our democracy and to the
:56:21. > :56:28.British people's sense of decency. We cannot allow Benham to displace
:56:29. > :56:36.mutual respect. We cannot permit intolerance to intimidate tolerance.
:56:37. > :56:41.We cannot accept that a convention of hating can ever be allowed to
:56:42. > :56:48.prevail over the greatest, strongest, most civilised British
:56:49. > :56:56.quality, of live and let live. History teaches too many lessons. If
:56:57. > :57:05.temporary rationality concedes ground, the space is invaded by
:57:06. > :57:11.intemperate, irrational, always with horrific results. That is why we and
:57:12. > :57:18.all who recoil from the politics of hate must never make the concession,
:57:19. > :57:21.we must never stop confronting those who seek political profit from
:57:22. > :57:30.encouraging the neuroses of the threat and resentment. Young Jo Cox
:57:31. > :57:43.did not concede. That's why her short life was so productive, so
:57:44. > :57:54.radiant it deserves to be forgotten. Because it was unforgettable. Here,
:57:55. > :57:58.here. I beg to move that the house do now adjourn. That the house to