Labour MP Jo Cox has died after being shot three times in the street near her office by attacker 'who shouted Britain First then kicked her while she lay bleeding' West Yorkshire MP was arriving at her local office when she was attacked A man wrestled with the MP before she was shot and repeatedly stabbed She is now in a 'critical' condition after being seen bleeding from the face Attacker said to have shouted 'Britain First' and kicked MP on the ground A man, 53, was arrested at the scene after armed police flooded the area By RICHARD SPILLETT and MARK DUELL and JOSEPH CURTIS FOR MAILONLINE PUBLISHED: 14:01, 16 June 2016 | UPDATED: 17:19, 16 June 2016 1.9kshares A Labour MP has died after she was shot three times and repeatedly stabbed in a shocking attack as she arrived at her constituency surgery. Mother-of-two Jo Cox, 41, was rushed to hospital after a gunman opened fire on her in Birstall near Leeds. Witnesses said the man was at the office before she arrived and shot her three times, once in the head, before stabbing her as she lay on the ground. Her husband Brendon simply tweeted a photo of his wife after she was rushed to hospital with catastrophic injuries. A 53-year-old - named locally as Tommy Mair - has been arrested by police and his house is currently being searched by police forensics experts. please log in to view this image +25 Popular MP Jo Cox has tragically died after she was shot three times and stabbed repeatedly by a man as she arrived for a constituency meeting in Birstall near Leeds today please log in to view this image +25 Locals have named and identified 'loner' Tommy Mair as the 53-year-old man who has been arrested by police please log in to view this image +25 A picture has been circulated on social media that is said to show the suspect being arrested after the attack please log in to view this image +25 A picture was taken of the man believed to be suspect seconds after he was tackled to the ground by police please log in to view this image +25 A view of the scene of the shooting outside the library in Birstall, where Ms Cox was attending a meeting David Pickles, a neighbour of Mr Mair, said: 'He's just quiet. He kept himself to himself. He lived by himself. He's been on his own for about 20 years. I've never seen a lot of people visiting or anything like that.' Ms Cox's husband Brendan, who was part of the EU Remain campaign's 'flotilla' in London yesterday, tweeted a photo of her after she was rushed to hospital. Campaigning for the EU referendum by Britain Stronger in Europe and Vote Leave has been suspended for the day after the attack. Witness Clarke Rothwell who runs a cafe near where the attack took place, told the BBC he believed the MP had been shot and stabbed multiple times. He said: 'He [the attacker] was stabbing her as well, he was stabbing her with his knife.' RELATED ARTICLES Previous 1 Next please log in to view this image Chilling CCTV footage shows masked crowbar-wielding raiders... please log in to view this image Devastating cell phone video shows club-goers hiding out in... SHARE THIS ARTICLE Share Another witness, Sam Watson, added: 'The man walked away calmly and nobody wanted to approach him.' Hichem Ben Abdallah, 56, was in the cafe next door to the library when he heard screaming and went outside. He said: 'There was a guy who was being very brave and another guy with a white baseball cap who he was trying to control and the man in the baseball cap suddenly pulled a gun from his bag. 'He was fighting with her and wrestling with her and then the gun went off and then she fell between two cars and I came and saw her bleeding on the floor.' It was earlier thought Ms Cox had intervened in a fight between two men but it is now believed she was attacked. please log in to view this image +25 Ms Cox, pictured, with her husband Brendan on election night when she was elected as an MP please log in to view this image +25 Mr Cox tweeted a photo of his wife after she was rushed to hospital this afternoon please log in to view this image +25 A jacket, handbag and shoes were left at the scene. They are believed to belong to the MP who was attacked please log in to view this image +25 Emergency equipment left at the scene where Ms Cox was attacked during a scuffle today please log in to view this image +25 Ambulances and police at the scene in Birstall near Leeds this morning after the horrific incident please log in to view this image +25 Police are currently at the scene of a home in Birstall, pictured, understood to belong to Mr Mair Ambulances seen rushing to scene of MP shooting in Birstall Loaded: 0% Progress: 0% 0:00 Play Mute Current Time0:00 / Duration Time0:19 Fullscreen Need Text After around 15 minutes, the shop owner said emergency services arrived and tended to her with a drip. Mr Abdallah said the weapon looked handmade and that the man who had been wrestling with the assailant continued to do so even after he saw the gun. He said: 'The man stepped back with the gun and fired it and then he fired a second shot, as he was firing he was looking down at the ground.' Aamir Tahir, of The Dry Clean Centre, said the gunman was heard shouting 'Britain first'. He said: 'The lady I work with heard two loud bangs. I wish I was there because I would have tried to stop him. 'Apparently the guy who did it shouted 'Britain first' and if I had been there I would have tackled him.' Daniel Blyth, a company director from Birstall, told the paper he saw seven police cars 'racing up' the road to the scene. please log in to view this image +25 Mr Cox drove the boat down the Thames yesterday, opposing Nigel Farage's Leave the EU flotilla please log in to view this image +25 Labour MP Ms Cox has been campaigning for Britain to remain in the EU in recent weeks please log in to view this image +25 The MP was airlifted to Leeds General hospital where she is now said to be in a 'serious condition' please log in to view this image +25 Mrs Cox voted in April for the UK to accept 3,000 unaccompanied Syrian child refugees, saying that she 'would risk life and limb to get my two precious babies out of that hellhole' A police spokesman said: 'At 12.53 today, police were called to a report of an incident on Market Street, Birstall, where a woman in her 40s had suffered serious injuries and is in a critical condition. 'A man in his late 40s to early 50s nearby also suffered slight injuries. MOTHER-OF-TWO WHO WAS AN AID WORKER BEFORE ENTERING COMMONS please log in to view this image The of mother of two was elected to the seat of Batley and Spen at the last general election in 2015 Jo Cox worked for Oxfam before she entered parliament as MP for Batley and Spen at the general election last year. A mother of two young children, she is married to Brendan Cox, a former adviser to Gordon Brown who has also been chief executive of Save the children. The 41-year-old also worked closely with Mr Brown's wife Sarah on efforts to prevent mothers and babies dying needlessly in pregnancy. Since entering the Commons, she has made a name for herself by campaigning on Syria issues, including calling for the UK to enforce a no-fly zone. In 2015 she abstained in a vote on whether we should join airstrikes. Ms Cox nominated Jeremy Corbyn for Labour leader, but is regarded as a moderate within the party and is very popular among her fellow MPs. The spokesman continued: 'Armed officers attended and a 52-year-old man was arrested in the area. There are no further details at present. Police presence in the area has been increased as a reassurance to the community.' Prime Minister David Cameron tweeted: 'Very concerned about reports Jo Cox has been injured. Our thoughts and prayers are with Jo and her family.' Cambridge graduate Ms Cox was elected to the seat of Batley and Spen at the last general election in 2015. She is national chair of Labour Women's Network, has worked for Save the Children and the NSPCC. She is the mother of two young children and is said to enjoy mountain-climbing, boating and running. Earlier this year MPs were given an 'enhanced' security package amid heightened fears about the threat of attacks. The move by the Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority (Ipsa) came after the Commons vote on bombing Syria saw protests outside MPs' constituency offices and homes. There have also been concerns that backbenchers could be a soft target for Islamic State extremists. Details of the extra security measures were not published, but they are thought to include more funding for alarms, locks and CCTV in constituencies and homes. Police carry out assessments of what risk MPs face. The watchdog authorised £77,234 of spending on additional security measures last year - more than double the sum in the previous 12 months. Fellow MPs today sent their best wishes to their colleague as she remained in hospital. Yvette Cooper wrote: 'Terrible, terrible news. Thoughts and prayers with good friend Jo & with her family.' Boris Johnson added: 'Just heard the absolutely horrific news about the attack on Jo Cox MP. My thoughts are with Jo and her family.' And Sadiq Khan tweeted: 'Shocked to hear terrible news about brilliant MP and friend Jo Cox. Thinking of her and praying for her and family.' A Labour spokesperson said: 'We're aware of the incident that happened this afternoon. All our thoughts are with Jo Cox and her family. We cannot give any further updates at this time.' Police seal off scene of shooting in Birstall Loaded: 0% Progress: 0% 0:00 Play Mute Current Time0:00 / Duration Time0:08 Fullscreen Need Text LABOUR MP JO COX IS NOT THE FIRST MP TO BE ATTACKED The brutal shooting and stabbing of Labour MP Jo Cox is not the first time an MP has been attacked while holding a public surgery. Former Labour Cabinet minister Stephen Timms was stabbed twice by a student who had booked an appointment to see him in east London in 2010. And in 2000, former Liberal Democrat MP Nigel Jones, now a peer, came under attack by a man wielding a samurai sword, with the politician's aide Andrew Pennington killed while trying to protect him. Roshonara Choudhry was jailed for life for stabbing East Ham MP Stephen Timms in his constituency surgery in May 2010. Stephen Timms, left, 60, was stabbed twice in 2010 in his constituency office by Roshonara Choudhry, right, who launched the attack in 'revenge' for Mr Timms voting in favour of the Iraq war Choudhry, of East Ham, knifed the 60-year-old twice in the stomach at a constituency surgery in Newham, east London. She was found guilty of attempted murder and two counts of possessing a knife at a trial at the Old Bailey in December that year. Choudhry, who studied English at King's College London, was told she faced a minimum sentence of 15 years behind bars. During the trial, the Old Bailey heard she had created a list of MPs who had voted in favour of the war in Iraq, and that the attack on Mr Timms was 'revenge' for him doing so. After the case, Mr Timms described the sentence as 'appropriate'. The Labour politician was rushed to hospital for surgery on his wounds, but made a full recovery and remains in his seat, winning re-election last year. Baron Jones of Cheltenham, left, was attacked by Robert Ashman with a samurai sword in January 2000, with the latter stabbing aide Andrew Pennington, right, to death as he tried to protect the MP Baron Jones, pictured in hospital after the attack, required 57 stitches to his hand and now suffers from a heart condition as a result of the armed assault During the attack, his aide Andrew Bazeley, 22, bravely disarmed the woman, who had made an appointment to see Mr Timms at his surgery. Mr Bazeley was left covered in blood after he grabbed the knife and restrained her until a security guard arrived. In January 2000, deranged Robert Ashman attacked Baron Jones as he conducted a surgery in his Cheltenham constituency. Ashman seriously injured Baron Jones and stabbed to death his aide Mr Pennington as he tried to protect him. Pennington, 39, tried to fight off the attacker with an electric fire. Baron Jones required 57 stitches to his hand. He still suffers from a heart problem that was aggravated by the attack 16 years ago. Ashman, pictured, was jailed but has since been allowed back on the streets after psychiatrists deemed him 'fit for release' The peer described during the court case how Ashman, now 65, had brandished the sword above his head like a cartoon character from Master of the Universe. Ashman later claimed he had carried out the attack because his MP was not doing enough to help him after he lost his job, got divorced and was declared bankrupt. The former engineer was found guilty of manslaughter and attempted murder. Sentencing the father of two at the time, a High Court judge said Ashman was so disturbed she could not foresee a time when he would be safely released. But Ashman has since been allowed back on the streets after psychiatrists deemed him fit to be let out. Although he is supervised by police and has to obey a curfew, he is free to go out alone during the day. Mr Pennington was posthumously awarded the George Medal for his attempts to protect Baron Jones. How MPs' security was beefed up this year after they voiced fears about lack of protection By James Tapsfield for MailOnline Security for MPs was beefed up earlier this year after fears were raised about a lack of protection from people with 'knives and guns'. The expenses watchdog announced an 'enhanced' package for politicians outside the parliamentary estate in January after a survey carried out by the Commons authorities revealed extreme concern about their own safety and that of their staff. Details of the extra measures were not published, but they are thought to include more funding for alarms, locks and CCTV in constituencies and homes. Police carry out individual assessments of what risk MPs face. +25 MPs were given extra protection this year after fears were raised about their safety The watchdog had already more than doubled the amount of spending authorised on security away from the Commons to £77,234 last year. The internal report prepared by House staff following interviews with MPs said: 'Security was raised as a key concern by many participants; this related both to their constituency offices and their accommodation in London and largely related to what expenses they could or could not claim under Ipsa rules ... 'It was felt that the limitations of the office allowance that could be claimed meant offices could often only be situated in out of town areas, or deprived areas of town, where rentals were below premium. 'This had potential implications for the security of staff, who were often women working alone or in pairs. Participants also stressed that security is important as staff can be at risk due to the number of constituents they deal with that have mental health issues.' 'Others raised concerns about safety in their London accommodation. Although there is a separate allowance for security measures in their constituency offices, most participants understood that they had to pay for security measures for their London home from the London accommodation budget, which because of the very high rental prices in London was very difficult to do.' 'A few MPs gave examples of incidents involving stalkers, and those with knives and guns, which although not just issues for women, were ones where some women felt they were more vulnerable. 'A few were aware that concerns could be reported to the Police or via the Sergeant at Arms; but others did not know this and referred to difficulties in getting advice and support.' The document went on: 'Many women stressed that if they were travelling between Westminster and their London accommodation, or back to their constituencies when it was dark, they would prefer to take a taxi as they felt it was safer. 'They were concerned that this was not allowed under IPSA guidance unless it was past a specific hour, and that even then it was subject to disclosure under the Freedom of Information Act, which deterred many women from so doing.' MP Jack Dromey 'shocked and saddened' by Jo Cox shooting Deputy Speaker Lindsay Hoyle carried out a review the security provision away from parliament last year, and at one point there was pressure for Ipsa to be stripped of responsibility for funding security away from parliament. In a letter to politicians in January, chief executive Marcial Boo said the expenses watchdog had always 'taken seriously the need for MPs and their staff to besecure'. Referring to high-profile protests against MPs over the vote on bombing Syria and concerns that backbenchers could be a soft target for IS extremists, he wrote: 'Recent events have led us, with the police and the House of Commons, to take stock of our arrangements to ensure that they are appropriate to changed circumstances. 'This letter announces enhancements to the security measures available to you and your staff.' Ipsa has distributed - but not published - guidance prepared by the National Counter Terrorism Security Office and the Centre for the Protection of National Infrastructure.
There's some ****ing arseholes in this country, more than ever, because the deterrent is a cushy life in prison. Poor woman, nobody deserves that sort of thing just doing her job.
Disgusted by this!!! It's about time we built more prisons, had more Police giving them the powers to do their job(I know some police very well and you would not believe how deep the cuts have affected the Police). Let's lock all criminals up for a long time, or better still bring the death penalty back ASAP!! Most of all lets get the hell out of Europe!! Bart
Absolutely outrageous. Nothing shocks me about this country anymore... And I mean 'Nothing'! My heart goes out to this ladies family, what must they think?!?
What a tragedy, the poor lady and her family. I agree this country seems to be getting worse and worse. RIP
Some fruit cakes about, this is typically why we need to bring back the death penalty, sympathy to the family.
Absolute ****ing bollocks..This is just putting the state down to the same depraved level as those committing these crimes..
Some people need to be taken out mate. If I'd ever been given the chance I'd have slotted Adams & his ginger ****wit mate without a thought.
Not by the state though..That is is taking us down to the same level as the religious zealots who we are fighting against.
If it is war then anything that a soldier or any member of the military does against the foe is fine by me. If the government carries out a death penalty then that is totally different..
Bet you wouldn't blame the executioner either? It would be those passing the orders down you'd blame? The politics of it, not individuals following orders? Well that's where I'd blame anyway, the politics or it, the decisions made at the highest levels. Never the 'little' man, but then you said nothing to suggest you'd blame the 'little' man.
