Breaking News - Attack On UK Politican, MP Murdered.

[Malthus]

Really striking and awful the number of journalists and politicians from all sides who are clearly struggling not to cry when they talk about her.

It makes you think how awful it must be in that small community

Edit: Also lots of MPs saying on Twitter that their surgeries will be going ahead as normal today. Which is admirable and, I think, the right response.

And it's not confirmed but it looks like the Tories won't contest the by election.

The murder itself is of course a terrible tragedy, but I must admit, the British response to it has been very impressive on all sides.

[Valmy]

And it's not confirmed but it looks like the Tories won't contest the by election.

Now that is impressive if true.

[Jacob]

Very interesting link.

Not sure the British media have spotted this yet.

It's in the Guardian and Spectator now, though based off the SPLC story.

[Jacob]

It seems the facts indicate that the assassin is a neo-Nazi: https://www.splcenter.org/hatewatch/2016/06/16/alleged-killer-british-mp-was-longtime-supporter-neo-nazi-national-alliance

Wow, the SPL is good.

I have a lot of respect for the SPLC - they do a lot of unglamorous work documenting and tracking this kind of stuff and are an invaluable resource. I know some people - IIRC incl. some on languish - have them down as some sort of unreliable shrill liberal partisan organization or some such, but that's not been my observation. They're pretty level headed and thorough.

[Sheilbh]

Now that is impressive if true.

All the main parties have confirmed they won't run against Labour.

The murder itself is of course a terrible tragedy, but I must admit, the British response to it has been very impressive on all sides.

I have some hope that people who were rhetorically kicking seven shades of shit into each other last week very quickly came together over this. I've worried for a while that we were developing a US style culture war but I do think the response to this indicates that we're maybe not that far gone and hopefully we'll pull back now. Everyone'll start to remember that Tories aren't evil, Labour aren't traitors, UKIP aren't scum and while Lib Dems are still Lib Dems they can't really help it.

Parliament's going to be recalled on Monday and there are suggestions that all MPs should sit together, cross-bench, rather than in their party groups. Which would be interesting.

Edit: Archbishop of Canterbury and others, including Farage, held a two minute vigil in Parliament Square. Thought this photo of the Archbishop was interesting because of the lack of visible security. I really hope we do keep that:

[The Brain]

Who would ever murder an Archbishop of Canterbury??

[Richard Hakluyt]

Careful with that axe dear Queen

[Admiral Yi]

The doofus checking his texts should be cropped out.

[garbon]

The doofus checking his texts should be cropped out.

I think he is taking a photo, no?

[mongers]

Well what some local people are saying seems at odds with the act he's carried out.

I'm not sure the mental health defence is 'legitimate' given how elaborate the assassination plot appears to be.

I suspect somewhere is an on-line 'community' that has egged him on, if not for this specific attack, then in more general terms ,like fostering a culture of hate towards high profile women in UK public life. But maybe he's one of the 1 in 12 Brits who doesn't use the internet. 

[Sheilbh]

I'm not sure the mental health defence is 'legitimate' given how elaborate the assassination plot appears to be.

Yeah. And I find the mental health aspect less prominent (beyond needing to be a sicko to do this) given he was apparently subscribing to and getting instruction manuals from extremist groups, had Nazi regalia etc.

I suspect somewhere is an on-line 'community' that has egged him on, if not for this specific attack, then in more general terms ,like fostering a culture of hate towards high profile women in UK public life. But maybe he's one of the 1 in 12 Brits who doesn't use the internet.

I remember reading that he was always down the library often helping people use the computers. So I imagine there'd be some there.

But there was a far right group that posted a picture of another female Labour MP and the address of an event she attending with a message like 'she needs to go'.  And of course there was the Britain First message after Sadiq was elected. Plus the general online shite that especially female MPs have to put up with - the knife threat to Stella Creasy, that awful chain of rape comments at Jess Philips, the anti-semitic stuff towards Luciana Berger. I think in each of those cases there's been some element of physical harassment/stalking too.

Don't often, but quite liked Martin Rowson's cartoon on this:

[Solmyr]

Who would ever murder an Archbishop of Canterbury??

Two drunken knights, freshly returned from the Crusades?

[Zanza]

The murderer gave his name as "Death to traitors, freedom for Britain" in court today. That confirms the nationalist motivation.

http://www.bbc.com/news/uk-36567005

[Sheilbh]

The murderer gave his name as "Death to traitors, freedom for Britain" in court today. That confirms the nationalist motivation.

http://www.bbc.com/news/uk-36567005

Yep. And there's pictures circulating that are allegedly him at a Britain First event.

They've also confirmed details of the 77 year old man who was injured:

Retired miner who tried to tackle Jo Cox's attacker was also hero of colliery disaster
Harry Yorke  Martin Evans
17 JUNE 2016 • 10:00PM

A 77-year-old former miner was named today as the pensioner who was stabbed as he bravely tried to tackle Jo Cox's killer.

Bernard Kenny was waiting outside Birstall library in his car, after taking his wife there to return a book, when he saw the MP being attacked and got out of his car to help her.

He was stabbed in the abdomen by the gunman, and remains in hospital being treated for serious injuries, which are described as "non life threatening".

West Yorkshire's Acting Chief Constable, Dee Collins, praised Mr Kenny's actions today, saying he had "bravely intervened to assist Jo".

Friends said Mr Kenny's selfless act was typical of his character, as he had risked his life as one of the rescuers involved in a colliery disaster 40 years ago.

Mr Kenny's next door neighbour Peter Robertshaw, 60, said he was a "great man" who "kept fit and can look after himself."

He said: "My wife rang this morning to say Bernard had been injured yesterday, she was dead upset.

"I was shocked, but I'm not surprised he did jump in to help. He's a great guy, always happy to help out.

"He's retired, I've known him for 16 years but you wouldn't think he was 77.

"He keeps active and swims every day. He's quite private but we get on well.

Another neighbour described Mr Kenny as a "stocky man, who keeps himself to himself".

"He doesn't want any fuss, but he's a very brave man," he added. "I'm just shocked, I saw it all yesterday and a man lying on the floor in the sandwich shop. I didn't even realise it was Bernard."

In 1973 Mr Kenny was a member of the Gomersal Mines Rescue Brigade when he and his colleagues rushed to the scene of the Lofthouse Colliery disaster.

Seven miners died after water flooded the pit in Wakefield, but only one body was ever recovered.

Speaking on the 30th anniversary of the tragedy, Mr Kenny said: "It was rough. The conditions we had to work in were rough. I've never seen conditions like it and I never want to see them again. It was very bad.

"You were up to your neck in water and breathing apparatus was needed because there was a high percentage of gas.

"But we went on with it because you ought to do. It was your duty to try and help them and it was sad when it had to be called off."

[Richard Hakluyt]

A brave man. When I get sad about the death of our coal-mining communities it is because of the death of a culture that produced many men like Mr Kenny.