Hundreds of people gathered outside the Town Hall on Sunday to remember MP Jo Cox.

A minute’s silence was observed and tributes paid at the vigil organised by Islington Labour MPs Jeremy Corbyn and Emily Thornberry.

Mother-of-two Ms Cox was stabbed and shot in her West Yorkshire constituency last Thursday.


Council leader Richard Watts and Mayor Kat Fletcher paid tribute to the MP.

Ms Thornberry told around 400 people gathered at the Town Hall steps: “Jo Cox was a friend of mine. She was a friend of all of ours and the work she did for refugees, particularly from Syria, is work that we won’t forget.”

She recited a poem, Mother’s Day, by Kurdish poet Zeki Madjid.

Ms Thornberry added: “I hope that we will never forget the commitment of Jo to the importance of justice across the world.

“We continue to work for it and we make sure we go forward with respect for those who have been forced to leave their motherlands and to come here as refugees and are treated as human as anyone else. That is the message that Jo gave to us and we stand by it and we stand united as Islington, a multicultural, multi-faith community like no other.”

Mr Corbyn described the MP’s death as “appalling, an assault on all of us and freedom of speech”. He added: “Her passing is a reminder of how fragile life is, how vulnerable we all are and how important it is that we stand together as a community of different groups.

“Let us stand together, here tonight in Islington, one community in this wonderful borough. In her memory, let’s be strong and hold out hands of friendship to those who need it. Division achieves nothing.”

A book of condolence for Ms Cox has been opened at the Town Hall, where the Union Flag was flown at half mast last week.

• Keywords
  MURDER, MEMBERS OF PARLIAMENT
• Geographical keyword
  UPPER STREET
• Persons keyword
  Jo Cox, Jeremy Corbyn, Emily Thornberry, Kat Fletcher, Islington Town Hall