Jo Cox death: MPs return to Parliament to pay tribute

Parliament, which was in recess for the EU referendum, has been recalled to remember Mrs Cox, 41, who was described as "perfect" by her family.

After the Commons and Lords tributes, politicians will attend a memorial service at St Margaret's Church.

Speaker John Bercow said they had gathered in "heartbreaking sadness".

As he led the tributes in a packed House of Commons, he said Mrs Cox had "outstanding qualities... she was caring, eloquent, principled and wise".

"Above all she was filled with an fuelled by love for humanity. Devoted to her family and a relentless campaigner for equality, human rights and social justice," he added.

Mr Bercow added: "An attack like this strikes not only at an individual, but at our freedom. That is why we assemble here, both to honour Jo and to redouble our dedication to democracy."

Speaking next, Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn told MPs, who were wearing white roses in memory of Mrs Cox: "We have lost one of our own and society as a whole has lost one of our very best."

He said Mrs Cox - whose 42nd birthday would have been on Wednesday - had spent her life serving and campaigning "for other people" - at home and abroad - both in her charity work and as an MP.

"The horrific act that took her from us was an attack on democracy and our whole country has been shocked and saddened by it," he said.

Mr Corbyn said the country had been "united in grief".

He appealed for "a kinder and gentler politics", saying politicians had a responsibility "not to whip up hatred or sow division".

In her honour, he said "we can come together to change our politics to tolerate a little more and condemn a little less".

Prime Minister David Cameron described Mrs Cox, the MP for Batley and Spen, as an "extraordinary colleague and friend", who was a humanitarian "to her core" who brought out "the best" in people.

"She was a voice of compassion, whose boundless energy lit up the lives of all who knew her and saved the lives of many she never met."

He said her killing was a "sickening and despicable" act and, like the speakers before him, offered condolences to her family.

Mr Cameron added: "We pay tribute to a loving, determined, passionate and progressive politician, who epitomised the best of humanity and proved so often the power of politics to make the world a better place."

Source: BBC