Brendan Cox: Jo died because of her political views

The husband of Jo Cox has said the Labour MP was killed because of “very strong political views” as he described her fears over the “extreme positions” taken in public debate.

Brendan Cox said Jo died because of her values and spoke of his desire to protect his memories of her as a wife and mother of their two children.

In an emotional interview, Jo’s grieving husband thanked the pubic for the level of support shown to their family over the six days, and laid out why he believes politics contributed to her death.

“She was a politician and she had very strong political views and I believe was she killed because of those views.

“I think she died because of them and she would want to stand up for those in death as much as she did in life.”

Cox, who speaking before today’s More in Common: A Worldwide Celebration of Jo Cox, also told the BBC of his late wife’s concerns over the hardening of his political debate amid what she saw as echoes of the 1930s.

“I think she was very worried that the language was coarsening, that people were being driven to take more extreme positions, that people didn’t work with each other as individuals and on issues, it was all much too tribal and unthinking.”

This was the first interview given by Cox since the death of his wife on Thursday afternoon. Since then MPs, constituents and supporters from around the world have issued a series of emotional tributes to the Batley and Spen MP. Yesterday a group of dozens of Labour MPs led by Wes Streeting released a video in which they spoke movingly of their affection for Jo.