MPs back community day to remember Jo

MPs have shown their support for a day of celebration planned to remember murdered MP Jo Cox.
Murdered MP Jo CoxMurdered MP Jo Cox
Murdered MP Jo Cox

Jo, who was Labour MP for Batley and Spen, was killed outside her constituency office in Birstall, West Yorkshire, on June 16 last year.

Now an event called the Great Get Together is being planned for the weekend of June 17 and 18, organised by The Jo Cox Foundation and The Big Lunch along with dozens of other community groups, to remember her.

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Thousands of people are expected to take part and people are being encouraged to hold community parties.

Jo’s widower Brendan, writing in the Daily Telegraph, said: ‘Jo’s family, and our friends, have resolved to channel our grief into something positive. Not because we are particularly brave or resilient people – we are not – but because we know it is what Jo would have wanted us to do. And what Jo would have wanted us to do now, more than ever, is to work to bring our communities closer together.’

He said he hoped the event would be the biggest communal party since the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee in 2012.

He added: ‘We hope it will be enjoyable, just a chance for communities to come together and have fun. But we also hope it will give us a chance to reassert what unites us as a country, as a nation – the values of community, of tolerance, of baking and of parties.’

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Portsmouth South MP Flick Drummond encouraged people to take part.

She said: ‘The tragic murder of Jo Cox must not be forgotten and I applaud all the work being done to honour her memory. It is a great opportunity for everyone to get together and build our community. This day is a fitting tribute to a woman who made a difference to the vulnerable and disadvantaged throughout her whole life, not just in the short time she spent in parliament.’

Fareham MP Suella Fernandes said: ‘Everyone was deeply saddened and shocked by the utterly horrendous murder. The Great Get Together is a fitting tribute and I will be happy to champion it in Fareham.’

Havant MP Alan Mak also urged people to get involved.

He said: ‘I hope Havant’s residents and community groups will get behind this initiative.’

For more go to greatgettogether.org