GMB Magazine GMB25 Centre Point Summer 2016 | Page 2

In memoriam

Jo Cox, MP
1974-2016

Just as we were about to send this magazine to the
printers, news reached us of the shocking killing of
Jo Cox, MP for Batley and Spen, and GMB member.
Jo’s friend Cath Speight has written this memorial to her.

B

right, vivacious, courageous,
caring: all words I would use to
describe my friend Jo – along with
commited, passionate, tenacious!
There really aren’t enough words to describe
the young woman taken from us so violently
on Thursday 16 June.
She was killed doing her job, a job she
loved, representing the people in the town
where she grew up. I grew up there as well
– it’s a really unremarkable town, but with
a tight-knit community. It’s a deprived area,
typical Northern working class; nothing ever
really happens in Batley.
When I first met Jo, she came to see me
because of our connection, the town we
both grew up in.
She told me she wanted to be the next MP.
I saw the fire and excitement in her eyes as
she told me she wasn’t interested in being
an MP anywhere else and would not stand
in any constituency other than in her home
town. I decided there and then that Batley
and Spen would be so very, very lucky to
have her as their MP.

GMB25.Jocox_02.indd 2

The selection wasn’t without its issues.
Some Batley folk were suspicious, but it
didn’t take Jo long to win their hearts and
before long she had a committed and
enthusiastic campaign team. I went up on a
number of occasions to help out in the 2015
election campaign. Watching Jo tear round
the streets of Batley and Spen door-knocking
or leafletting at 100 miles an hour made all
of us feel exhausted just watching her.
I saw her talk and engage with young and
old alike with the same enthusiastic smile
and welcome. She radiated happiness and it
was infectious – you couldn’t help but smile
when you were in her company. She was
as comfortable showing her constituents’
children around the House of Commons and
telling them about its history as she was on
her feet in the chamber challenging the
Prime Minister.
She wanted to do so much and had so
many plans to try and improve things in
unremarkable Batley.
We are all the poorer following her death,
but our thoughts and prayers must go to

Brendan, her two beautiful children, her
parents and all her colleagues, friends
and family who have lost a wife, a mother,
a daughter and comrade.
We are all the better for having known her.
RIP, Jo.

Cath Speight
GMB National Political Officer

21/06/2016 14:08