Murdered Labour MP Jo Cox was planning report into far right threat
Before her tragic death, the former MP was working on a report with Tell Mama, warning of rising aggression by the far right
Jo Cox was planning to launch a report in Parliament on the dangers of nationalist radicals, according to reports.
The Labour MP for Batley and Spen, who died after being shot and stabbed in the street outside her constituency surgery on Thursday, had also recorded a video about preventing Islamophobia, according to The Times.
The report by Tell Mama, an organisation that monitors anti-Muslim incidents, warns of rising aggression by far-right nationalists and an increase in Islamophobia in the last year.
Mrs Cox was known for her commitment to causes such as the plight of Syrian refugees.
The Times reports that on June 29 she planned to launch the report and play the video.
It shows her saying she had spoken to Tell Mama about preventing Islamophobia and discussing the problem that in her constituency “many of our young women don’t feel safe when they’re out on the street”.
The director of Tell Mama, Fiyaz Mughal, told the newspaper there were significant clusters of far right activity in Yorkshire and that the charity’s annual report would detail an increase in anti-Muslim activity in the UK last year.
Mr Mughal said: “In the last 18 months South Yorkshire is one of the leading areas in the country (for Islamaphobic incidents).”
The Community Security Trust (CST) told Jewish News: “The support that Jo Cox gave to Tell MAMA is more evidence that she was a conscientious and hard-working MP motivated by a desire to improve people’s lives. Her death is a tragedy and our sympathies are with her family and friends.”
Thomas Mair, 52, from Birstall, appeared at Westminster Magistrates’ Court on Saturday charged with murdering Mrs Cox, grievous bodily harm, possession of a firearm with intent to commit an indictable offence and possession of a knife.
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