Hundreds line the streets to pay tribute on day of Jo Cox’s funeral

Hundreds of people lined the streets of Batley to pay tribute to Jo Cox today as she was laid to rest. Locals paid their respects to the much-loved MP as the funeral cortege was carried through her childhood home.

The ceremony was a private affair for Cox’s family and friends, though crowds lined up to remember the Batley and Spen MP. Those remembering Cox included schoolchildren and business men and women who were inspired by Cox, many of whom carried the Yorkshire white rose.

Brendan, Cox’s husband, said he would be “thinking of all victims of hatred today” after the terrorist attacks in Nice yesterday evening. “Jo would ask us not to fight hate with hate but draw together to drain the swamp that extremism breeds in,” he said.

Wes Streeting, who was elected in the same 2015 intake as Jo Cox, said her example provided an alternative to the darkness of terrorism.

The slogan “More In Common”, taken from Cox’s maiden speech in Parliament, was included on posters around the area today to encourage people to “love like Jo”. The saying has been adopted by those inspired by her life to encourage unity and friendship.

The Jo Cox memorial fund, set up by friends in aid of causes the MP supported, has raised almost £1.5m since her death.