Kim Leadbeater, whose sister Jo Cox was murdered by a far-right terrorist in 2016, says abuse and threats face by MPs is ‘worse than ever’ as she described the response to her assisted dying Bill
The sister of murdered MP Jo Cox has warned MPs now face worse abuse than when her sister was killed.
Kim Leadbeater said “the level of abuse and nastiness” in political debate was “worse than ever”. Ms Cox was murdered by a far-right terrorist in 2016.
Labour MP Ms Leadbeater, who represents her late sister’s Batley and Spen constituency, has put forward a Bill to legalise assisted dying – but said she’s been shocked by the abuse it sparked. She told the BBC ’s Political Thinking podcast: “There are people on the extremes of the debate, people who do not want to see any version of a change in the law, and there are people on the other extreme of the debate who would want a much broader law.
“Sadly, that has led to more abuse than I’ve probably had on anything.”
Ms Leadbeater added that some responses had descended into “personal insults, threats, abuse, intimidation”. Describing the level of abuse her sister faced, she said: “There was a level of abuse and there was a level of nastiness in politics at that time – nowhere near like it is now.
“I remember Jo saying to me ‘I need to get a thicker skin’. And I pushed back and said ‘No you don’t. You need to be you because that makes you the brilliant individual that you are, and it makes you the brilliant MP that you are.’
“And do you know what’s really sad, Nick? I actually have that conversation with colleagues now on a daily basis.” She said that female MPs are particularly affected.
Ms Cox died in June 2016 after being shot and repeatedly stabbed in the village of Birstall, where she was holding a constituency surgery. Her killer, Thomas Mair, was a far-right thug who was given a whole life order when he was convicted that year.
In November MPs backed Ms Leadbeater’s Bill, which would legalise assisted dying in England and Wales – with a number of safeguards. But it still gets to get through another vote after months of scrutiny.
Next week a committee of MPs will begin hearing evidence from witnesses as the Bill is scrutinised. It would need support in the Commons and the Lords before it can become law.
