London - Thousands of people gathered to remember the Labour MP on what would have been her 42nd birthday, as similar events took place across the UK and around the world. “Jo's killing was political, it was an act of terror designed to advance an agenda of hatred towards others,” Brendan Cox told the crowd.
“What a beautiful irony it is that an act designed to advance hatred has instead generated such an outpouring of love. Jo lived for her beliefs and on Thursday she died for them, and for the rest of our lives we will fight for them in her name.” However, his speech was disturbed by the droning of a plane carrying a banner with a Vote Leave slogan that repeatedly passed over the crowd, flying low enough for its writing to be read. The Labour MP Stella Creasy was among the attendees condemning the “disgusting” timing, although it was not clear whether the plane's path was deliberate. Its engines could be heard as Mr Cox described his wife's passionate campaigning for Britain to remain in the European Union.
“Today would have been Jo's 42nd birthday and she would have spent it dashing around the streets of her hometown trying to convince people that Britain is stronger in Europe,” he said.
“She feared the consequences of Europe dividing again, hated the idea of building walls between us and worried about the dynamics that could unleash.”
A minute's silence was held during the hour-long celebration of her life, which was also attended by her three-year-old daughter Lejla and son Cuillin, five. Ms Cox's younger sister, Kim Leadbeater, then took to the stage to pay tribute to the “caring, compassionate and inspirational” MP. We have been truly overwhelmed by the outpouring of kindness and support and it has provided great comfort and strength in order for us to keep going,” she said. I don't have any answers as to why such a horrendous and tragic event has occurred in our lives. But I do know that Jo would not have wanted any of us to allow it to make her life anything other than the force for good it always was.”
Malala Yousafzai, the education campaigner who was shot in the head by the Taliban for her activism, was among the guest speakers at the rally. Events were being held in a variety of locations in tribute to Ms Cox's “love, energy, passion, flair, Yorkshire heritage and belief in the humanity of every person in every place”. Bill Nighy performed a reading, while U2 recorded a musical tribute in Los Angeles. The band that played at Ms Cox's wedding, Diddley Dee, also played and a group of the MP''s friends formed an honour guard dressed in suffragette-style sashes.
Leaders of multiple faiths were to lay 42 white roses, the symbol of Yorkshire, to mark her birthday at the event, hosted by Mrs Cox's friend Mariella Frostrup. International events were also taking place in Beirut, Brussels, Melbourne, Nairobi, New York and Washington DC.
Glastonbury's Park Stage was the location of one tribute, while a charity album of music recorded by bands including Coldplay and Muse at the festival this weekend will be released in her honour.
Mr Cox said his wife would have been “amazed, baffled and humbled” at the global reaction to her death and the “outpouring of love from around the world”.
Thank you for the love that you have poured on our family since our world collapsed on Thursday,” he said. As amazing and deeply touching as all of this is, I wish I wasn't here today.
Not because I''m ungrateful to the organisers and you all for coming, but because of course I'd rather be with Jo. But I wanted to come and show my gratitude and that of all of our family.”
Wednesday's commemorations came after a fundraising page in Mrs Cox's memory raised more than £1m for three of her favourite charities in just three days.
Vote Leave said it did not organise the plane, which had been dispatched by British aircraft manufacturer Britten-Norman as part of its own pro-Brexit campaign. In a press release announcing the stunt, the firm said its banner would be flown around the UK between 9 June and the day before the referendum from a turboprop Islander aircraft. “We understand that, during a pre-planned photo opportunity over Westminster today (Thursday), we were visible from Trafalgar Square and that our flight coincided with an important memorial service,” a spokesperson said.
“The timing of our flight was determined by weather, air traffic control and the prior approval of the the Diplomatic Protection Group and required the consent of the Metropolitan Police. “We are clearly very disappointed that the timing of the service and our flight have overlapped but there was no NOTAM (Notice to Airmen) requesting the avoidance and the coincidence of timing could not have been known by the crew flying the sortie. Our sincere apologies to anyone present who has been offended by the overflight. We would also like to take the opportunity to advise that the flight was a private one and was not sanctioned by the official Vote Leave campaign.”
Tommy Mair, 52, has been charged with murdering Mrs Cox in a shooting and stabbing attack in Birstall last Thursday, and remains in custody.
Labour MP Yvette Cooper has received a message from someone threatening to kill her children over her stance on the EU referendum.
The MP, who is campaigning for Britain to remain in the EU, received a tweet which read: “Hello, Yvette I have received your Stronger In propaganda e-mails 5 times please stop or I will kill your kids and grandkids”.
Ms Cooper retweeted the threat, writing “Got this today for speaking out for Remain? This has got to stop”. She said she had reported the incident to the police and to Twitter, and the user's account has been suspended.
The threat comes amid increased security for UK MPs after the killing of Ms Cooper's colleague Jo Cox, who died after being shot and stabbed in an attack in Birstall in West Yorkshire last week.
Brendan Cox said his wife was killed because of her very strong political views. Ms Cooper also represents a West Yorkshire constituency.
Along with Ms Cox, Ms Cooper has actively supported welcoming child refugees to Britain from Europe. She was also part of a group of MPs that launched an online consultation on abuse aimed at women on social media.
The Independent