Overview
- Kim Leadbeater, Jo Cox’s sister and the current MP for Batley and Spen, said political hate fuelled by social media has put Britain in a “worse position than we were in then” during interviews published around the 10th anniversary.
- Jo Cox was shot and stabbed on 16 June 2016 by Thomas Mair, who was later jailed for life, and her family have since run unity projects such as the Great Get Together to promote community cohesion.
- Local councillors who campaigned in the May 2026 elections told reporters they faced organised online abuse, personal threats and had to report incidents to police, with some saying they no longer felt safe campaigning visibly.
- Brendan Cox and other public figures warned that recent unrest in places such as Belfast and Southampton, together with inflammatory public comments by high‑profile figures, have amplified division and raised security concerns for politicians.
- Political leaders paid tribute to Jo Cox’s message of unity on the anniversary while calling for better public leadership and community action to reverse rising abuse and protect democratic participation.