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Ben Blankley

Blog: Jo Cox paid with her life but politicians now live in daily fear of attack

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Jacqui Smith, newly appointed chair of the Jo Cox Foundation, has written for the Times on the terrifying levels of intimidation politicians still face, three years on from the Murder of Jo Cox.

What have we come to in this country when candidates report physical attacks and death threats while out campaigning in local elections? Three years ago when my friend Jo Cox was murdered during the referendum campaign the world was shocked.

It was rightly seen as an abomination and an affront to our democracy. Yet since then violence and intimidation against people in public life have escalated to a terrifying degree. We cannot go on like this.

Read the full blog here.

Announcement: Former Home Secretary Jacqui Smith Appointed to Chair the Jo Cox Foundation

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The Jo Cox Foundation is delighted to announce the appointment of the Rt. Hon Jacqui Smith as its new Chair. Jacqui takes over with immediate effect and replaces Nick Grono, who has served the board with great distinction since the Foundation was established.

 

 

Newly appointed Chair Rt Hon Jacqui Smith with CEO Catherine Anderson and Ambassador Kim Leadbeater.

 

Jacqui said: “I’m enormously excited and honoured to be taking over as Chair of the Jo Cox Foundation at such a challenging and important time. Never has Jo’s message that we have ‘more in common than that which divides us’ been more relevant. Many people feel that this is a divided country with an increasingly toxic level of public debate. Jo wouldn’t have stood for that. She would have reached out and built a movement for positive change – strengthening local communities, leading respectful national debate and advocating for a fairer world. I’m going to use my national experience and the inspiration of having known Jo to support the Foundation in delivering some really exciting plans over the coming years. I’m looking forward to meeting all of those who share Jo’s vision and who want to work with us to make it happen.”

Jacqui’s appointment was welcomed by the Foundation’s CEO, Catherine Anderson:

“We are truly thrilled and very fortunate to have Jacqui Smith join our board as the next Chair of The Jo Cox Foundation. She brings a real depth of experience and connection to Jo – as a mentor to Jo on the Labour Women’s Network, as a woman in public life herself, and through her work both nationally and in communities in the UK. Jacqui will be helping to guide and shape the Foundation’s work at this exciting time, particularly on our work on intimidation in public life and women in public life. I can’t wait to work closely with her on all of the issues that mattered to Jo – and to continue to build a truly positive, transformative legacy for Jo.”

Kim Leadbeater, Jo’s sister, said:

“We are delighted to have Jacqui join as chair of Jo’s Foundation. For my parents and I it means a lot that somebody with such a wealth of experience and enthusiasm is heading our board. Jo knew Jacqui and respected her enormously so she really is the perfect person for the role.”

Jacqui Smith was MP for Redditch from 1997-2010 and was Britain’s first female Home Secretary. She currently works in health, social care and international political development and is regularly appears in the media discussing politics, current affairs and social policy.

The Foundation’s board, team and Jo’s family would like to thank Nick for his inspiring leadership over the past 2 and a half years.

 

 

Update: Tackling loneliness this December through #MincePieMoments

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This year’s Great Christmas Get Together is off to a fantastic start, with people across the country coming together to share a #MincePieMoment. 

 

We are thrilled to see people reaching out to those in their community who may be feeling lonely at this time of year and in doing so, helping to build more connected communities.

From London to Yorkshire, the pictures we have received and stories we have heard are a testament to Jo’s belief that we have more in common than that which divides us.

Last week, we were delighted to welcome MPs from all sides to our Mince Pie Moments Parliamentary reception, to share experiences  and celebrate the progress made since Jo founded the Loneliness Commission over 2 years ago during her time as an MP.

Mims Davies MP, the new Minister for Loneliness, emphasised the need to work collaboratively to tackle loneliness, sharing:

“The message here is #MoreInCommon and more than ever before, we need to be cross-party, cross-chamber, and cross-country.”  

Kim Leadbeater, Jo’s sister shared:

“Even in the middle of chaos and uncertainty, there are always things we can do to make a difference, especially when it comes to loneliness.”  

There is still time for you to take part and we have highlighted plenty of suggestions of how to get started on the Great Get Together website. You can follow our loneliness advent calendar for daily simple actions that can make a big difference.

Tips include calling an old friend,  inviting your neighbours for dinner or volunteering with some of the fantastic loneliness-tackling initiatives around the country.

We would love for you spread the message by using #MincePieMoments on social media and look at what others are doing for further inspiration.

In this final week before Christmas, there is a part we can all play to ensure no one is left feeling lonely this Christmas and build closer, more compassionate communities.

GET INVOLVED WITH #MINCEPIEMOMENTS

Announcement: The Jo Cox Foundation welcomes the government’s first-ever loneliness strategy

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“For every life that is made less lonely as a result of the work Jo started, we will take great comfort”

 

Together with our partners who have continued the work on loneliness started by Jo, we welcome the government’s first ever loneliness strategy – echoing Jo’s strong belief that loneliness is one of the most pressing public health challenges facing the country. As she herself said: “Young or old – loneliness does not discriminate.”

It is a tribute to Jo’s work and that of the Jo Cox Commission on Loneliness, together with our brilliant colleagues in the Loneliness Action Group, that we can today celebrate the implementation of many of the recommendations put forward in the Jo Cox Commission’s report published in late 2017.

This is the positive vision that Jo imagined: a coalition of local authorities, businesses, and charities, all coming together to help build a more connected, compassionate society for all.

Jo’s sister Kim Leadbeater said: “The work on loneliness has been a hugely important part of Jo’s legacy and it is heartwarming to see how much progress has been made on the subject since her murder. It is excellent to see that loneliness is now firmly on the Government’s agenda, and I would like to take this opportunity to thank everyone who has been involved in getting us to this point. For every life that is made less lonely as a result of the work Jo started and that we have all continued, we will take great comfort.”

Kim and the Foundation believe that the important thing now is to turn dialogue and strategy into action. We are really pleased to see a focus on GPs’ surgeries pointing people in the direction of activities and support to alleviate loneliness. We also welcome the announcement of funding to go towards more community spaces that will improve people’s quality of life. The Employer Pledge will help raise awareness around loneliness in the workplace, too, and we firmly believe that this is the beginning of a major national conversation that will help to tackle the stigma of loneliness, and to understand how important social connections are to making our communities stronger and more compassionate.

READ THE FULL STRATEGY HERE

Announcement: Jo Cox square named in Brussels

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On Thursday, 27th September Jo’s sister and parents attended the official inauguration of Jo Cox Square in the centre of Brussels.

The city decided to rename the square in honour of Jo Cox as part of its efforts to have more of its streets and public places named after women.

Jo lived and worked in the Belgian capital prior to becoming an MP. The square is close to the Ancienne Belgique music venue which she often attended.

The inauguration was led by the Mayor of Brussels, Philippe Close, alongside Jo’s sister, Kim Leadbeater, and her parents, Gordon and Jean. Representatives of the British Labour Party and the European Parliament also attended.

Kim Leadbeater said:

“My parents and I are very pleased to be attending the inauguration of Jo Cox Square and are honoured that the city of Brussels has chosen to remember Jo in this way. She had many happy times living there and made some deep and long lasting friendships. We visited her on several occasions and have many heart-warming memories of seeing how much she enjoyed being there. To know that she will have a permanent place where she, and the values she stood by, can be remembered is a comfort and an honour and I would like to thank everyone involved.”

Mayor of Brussels, Philippe Close, said: “Naming a square in Brussels after Jo Cox is an honour for the City. Her investment in women’s rights, in European construction and her love for Brussels was absolutely remarkable.”

After the inauguration a choir led by one of Jo’s close friends from her time in Brussels, Suzy Sumner performed. The repertoire included the Balkan folksong Ederlezi and Nkosi Sikelel’ I Afrika. Suzy said:

“Ederlezi is a traditional folksong from the Romani minority in the Balkans. Jo loved the region and the song so much that she decided to name the boat where she lived with her family in London ‘Ederlezi’.

Nkosi Sikelel’ I Afrika is best known as a pan-african liberation song and versions of it are part of national anthems in many African countries including South Africa. We sing it to remember Jo’s work in Africa both with Glenys Kinnock and Oxfam and her spirit to continue to stand for justice.”