Jo Cox murder suspect Tommy Mair set to appear in court after MP shot dead in street
A man is set to appear in court this morning charged with the murder of MP Jo Cox.
The 41-year-old was attacked in the street outside her constituency surgery in Birstall, near Leeds, at lunchtime on Thursday.
Mum-of-two Mrs Cox suffered fatal gunshot and stab wounds and died a short time later in hospital.
Tommy Mair, of Birstall, was charged with murder last night and is set to appear at Westminster Magistrates' Court later today.
The 52-year-old will also face charges of grievous bodily harm, possession of a firearm with intent to commit an indictable offence and possession of an offensive weapon.
West Yorkshire Police Temporary Chief Constable Dee Collins said on Friday that a 77-year-old man remains in a stable condition in hospital after he was injured when he "bravely intervened" in an effort to help Mrs Cox.
Vigils were held across the UK on Friday evening as members of the public and politicians came together to lay flowers, light candles and stand in silence in memory of Mrs Cox.
The vigils followed a joint visit to her home town by David Cameron and Jeremy Corbyn , where the Prime Minister issued a plea for tolerance in British politics.
The Prime Minister said the whole nation was "rightly shocked" at Mrs Cox's death.
Labour leader Mr Corbyn described Mrs Cox was "an exceptional, wonderful, very talented woman, taken from us in her early 40s when she had so much to give and so much of her life ahead of her".
In January, a new security package for MPs was unveiled with additional funding. Downing Street said this covered security measures at MPs' homes - in London and their constituencies - as well as constituency offices.
More than £200,000 was raised on Friday evening on a fundraising page set up by friends of Mrs Cox to support three charities "closest to her heart".
President Barack Obama phoned Mrs Cox's husband from Air Force One and offered his condolences.
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