Jo Cox family marks anniversary warns UK still divided

Ten years after the murder of Labour MP Jo Cox, her family and colleagues have marked the anniversary with warnings that Britain remains deeply divided and that political discourse has grown more toxic and dangerous. Cox was killed on June 16, 2016, when she was shot and stabbed by neo-Nazi Thomas Mair outside a constituency surgery in Birstall, West Yorkshire, just days before the Brexit referendum.

In interviews ahead of the anniversary, Cox’s sister, Kim Leadbeater, and her husband, Brendan Cox, expressed deep concern about the state of public debate. Leadbeater, who now serves as the MP for Spen Valley, described the anniversary as a moment to urge political leaders not to push people toward extremes. She said it is crucial to push back on divisive rhetoric and dangerous language, though she declined to name specific individuals, stating she did not want to give bad behaviour "oxygen."

Brendan Cox, speaking in a separate interview, said he is less optimistic than he was in the past, blaming a shift in the public environment where divisions are emphasized over common ground. He warned that the country's ability to hold together relies on belief in each other and a willingness...