“We have to believe” in Jo’s principles – Labour MPs pay tribute to their friend Jo Cox

Figures across the Labour party have been reacting to the guilty verdict in the trial of Jo Cox’s murderer.

Stephen Kinnock, who shared an office with the late MP, said on BBC radio 5 live that the murder was a “profound shock that goes against everything we cherish and believe in, but we have to believe that we can overcome and that we can build the kind of society that Jo lived for.”

He urged people to not give up, saying: “We’ve got to believe we can build a world where people are motivated not by fear and suspicion and hatred of the over; but much more by what unifies us and what we need to do to build the kind of cohesive communities and values of solidarity and compassion will win in the end. That’s just something we have to believe because if we’ve lost sight of that then we’ve lost sight of everything”

He looked more closely at the referendum campaign in his comments on channel five news, saying: “The referendum campaign unleashed demons – and once the lid is off that box it is difficult to put it back on. All those people out there on Twitter and Facebook who are throwing their hatred around I just hope they’ll pause for a moment and reflect today on how they behave and remember that words do have consequences – you can’t just think that you can say whatever you like and that it won’t have consequences”

The Yorkshire Evening Post’s (YEP) decision not to include a picture of Jo Cox’s killer on their front page and instead to focus their coverage on the late MP herself was welcomed by many, including Hilary Benn, Yvette Cooper and Alison McGovern.

Benn said on Twitter: “Absolutely the right decision by the YEP. Let’s remember Jo for who she was and what she did. She leaves behind an extraordinary legacy.”

On Newsnight, McGovern focussed on her legacy of approaching “the world with love and compassion” and her example of campaigning “enthusiastically”, always encouraging people to “fight for the causes you believe in”.

She added “we will continue to stand for the principles Jo believed in” which she has been doing with her campaign for civilian protections in Syria and for Britain to take more refugees.

Jeremy Corbyn put out a statement yesterday as the verdict came in, saying the best tribute we can give is to “confront those who wish to promote the hatred and division that led to her murder.”

Tom Watson, Labour’s deputy leader paid tribute to her family and staff on twitter, saying: “Thinking of Jo’s family right now and grateful for the courage shown by her staff, who relived traumatic events when they gave evidence.”