FOUR years to the day from MP Jo Cox’s tragic murder, her sister has revealed she still hasn’t dealt with her loss — but says the power of community has got her through.
Jo, 41, was murdered by a right-wing extremist at the height of Brexit tensions, revealing the toxic divisions that had crept into British politics during the EU referendum.
Now her sister Kim Leadbeater, 44, has opened up about how she finds her strength in helping others, and calls on communities across Britain to unite after the coronavirus pandemic and two weekends of violence on our streets.
She says: “The power of community has got me through the past few years, there’s no doubt about it.
“I haven’t dealt with Jo’s murder very much at all. Instead I’ve channelled myself into being as busy as I can be, doing things Jo would be very proud of.”
Labour MP Jo was shot and stabbed by loner Thomas Mair, 56, in the village of Birstall as she arrived for a constituency meeting in her Batley and Spen seat in West Yorkshire.
Mair was later jailed for life after being found guilty of the mum-of-two’s murder.
Kim a health and fitness consultant, still struggles with the loss of her sister, as do the rest of her family.
Jo left behind husband Brendan, 41, and their children Cuillin, nine, and Lejla, seven.
As Kim prepares for the fourth annual Great Get Together this weekend, an initiative which aims to unite communities and is held in Jo’s memory, she says: “Not a day goes by when I don’t miss her. Not a day goes by when I don’t think, ‘I wonder what Jo would do now’.”
Jo, a passionate campaigner, activist and humanitarian, believed a fairer, kinder and more tolerant world was possible.
And as Britain reels from recent news events, Kim believes it is vital that we heed Jo’s message.
Kim says: “Jo believed ‘we are far more united and have far more in common than that which divides us’. That message is more important than ever.
“We need to find ways to celebrate the power of community.
“Because of such a personal connection for me, I find the violence over the weekend really upsetting and overwhelming.
“I understand what it feels like to be angry, I understand what it feels like to feel helpless, but I’ve also tried really hard not to give in to the anger and the despair that I’ve felt.
“One of the worrying things for me is that the crisis may also sow seeds of division.
“I’m really nervous and apprehensive about the future.
“I’ve been impressed with the way politicians have tried not to make a political football out of coronavirus and have put the health and well-being of the nation first.
“But sadly, the longer things continue, the harder it is not to cause division.”
So how do we tackle racism and right-wing extremists? Kim believes we must look long and hard at how people in Britain can still hold such unacceptable opinions.
We need to try to build communities where people understand and appreciate differences
She says: “We need to look at how we are ending up with people who have got those views in 2020, and that goes back to work at the community level.
“We need to try to build communities where people understand and appreciate differences and everybody feels they belong.
“If we don’t have those communities, that’s when people are drawn towards the extremes.”
Yet Kim feels positive that people are talking about racism as a result of the protests.
She says: “We must have difficult conversations and we must start listening to people we disagree with.”
But she also believes people must be able to express their views or “we’re going to end up in a situation where people are so scared they don’t have those conversations”.
In spite of these divisions, individual acts of kindness have shone through the weekend’s violence.
Black martial arts expert Patrick Hutchinson showed the best of humanity by rescuing an injured white man from the melee at London’s Waterloo Station.
And across the country, people from all backgrounds have stood peacefully in a call to end racism.
Kim says: “I urge people not to lose hope. In my darkest days I do think, ‘What’s the point?’ but I’ve got to believe the vast majority of human beings are good.”
Kim has a feeling we have seen a sense of that hope during the coronavirus crisis.
She points out that over the past few months Britain has weathered the pandemic — with so many suffering personal loss — by communities uniting.
Neighbours began talking in lockdown. Generous people bought shopping for the elderly. Small acts of kindness have helped people endure the worst crisis in generations.
And every week the nation came together to clap our heroic carers.
The Jo Cox Foundation, set up in the wake of her death to champion issues she cared about, has been at the heart of community efforts since the crisis began.
In Kim’s local constituency of Batley and Spen, the foundation’s volunteers picked up prescriptions, donated much-needed supplies to foodbanks and set up a centre where the self-isolating could call for a friendly chat.
And as lockdown eases, Kim believes that spirit of community is vital going forward — and may be the turning point Britain needs to unite after years of division.
She said: “If ever there was a chance, this is now.
“Now it is up to everybody to carry that community spirit forward. The Government must encourage unity. And we must all continue those small acts of compassion.
“If you have been collecting people’s mail, if you have been making more phone calls than normal — don’t stop.
“Let’s keep that sense of community going.”
This weekend the foundation will hold its annual Great Get Together to celebrate Jo’s birthday.
Last year up to 720,000 people joined in for street parties and picnics across the nation.
The Great Get Together has also encouraged communities to talk through issues including knife crime, social divisions and loneliness.
This year, due to Covid-19, the foundation is calling on communities to set up the first virtual and socially-distanced Great Get Togethers across the country.
In Kim’s Yorkshire home town there will be a virtual multi-faith community service and online assemblies for kids.
I know Jo would be so proud of all the work we’ve done
In London, the Bankside community is holding nine hours of online celebrations.
In other towns, volunteers are setting up socially distanced street discos and bingo.
Kim admits June is always a difficult month for her as she remembers the loss of her sister. And the pandemic hasn’t made things easier.
She says: “Because we are surrounded by such a sense of loss at the moment, there’s a loss of freedom and human connection, you feel your own personal loss even more.”
But for Kim, Jo’s message of hope, along with the support of family and friends, continues to give her strength. She says: “Jo would be standing up for people’s rights and carrying on as an MP if she were with us today.
“And I know Jo would be so proud of all the work we’ve done. I know I certainly am.
“The ultimate thing that keeps me going is Jo’s children. I want them to look back with pride on the difference Jo made, not just when she was alive but also tragically when she was no longer with us.”
Kim will continue to support her community by embracing Jo’s message of hope.
In the face of uncertainty, that message stays the same. If we all remember that we have far more in common than that which divides us, we can begin to build a better Britain together.
FROM June 19 to 21, the Jo Cox Foundation will be holding a virtual Great Get Together to commemorate Jo’s birthday weekend and celebrate the power of community.
With events happening up and down the country, both online and at a safe social distance, here are the ways you and your community can get involved.
Hold your own Great Get Together community party
The Jo Cox Foundation is asking neighbours across Britain to join together – at a social distance – and celebrate the power of community.
Set up your own Great Get Together community event. Whether it’s organising a socially distanced dance class, sharing a cuppa over a hedge or having a virtual call in with all your neighbours, the Great Get Together is a chance to reach out to members of your community and celebrate the power of coming together.
Visit greatgettogether.org/about for more information.
Find events going on near you
Hundreds of Great Get Together events are already going on across the country. To find out which events are taking place near you, visit the Great Get Together facebook page.
Run for Jo
The Jo Cox Foundation is holding a virtual run for Jo on June 21.
Anyone can get involved by running or walking 6.5km or 2.5km, wherever they are in the country.
In the spirit of the Great Get Together, the foundation asks that people do one small act of kindness while on their socially distanced run.
That could be giving a cake to a neighbour or waving at ten people who go past – anything to bring a smile to people’s faces.
Cycle for Jo
Every year a group of dedicated cyclists bike 200 miles from Yorkshire to London to commemorate Jo’s journey from her home in the town of Heckmondwike to Parliament.
While lockdown means original plans for the Jo Cox ride won’t go ahead, the Great Get Together is asking people to pledge bike miles across the country.
It hopes to build up enough miles to virtually cycle around the world.
Join Bankside’s nine-hour online celebrations
Last year 12,000 people took part in London Bankside’s Great Get Together.
Now you can join them online for nine hours of socially distanced fun.
From dog and cat shows to virtual bake offs, visit the Bankside OpenSpaces Trust social media pages for more information.
Carry out a small act of kindness
One of the simplest ways to reach out this weekend is to carry out a small act of kindness in your local community.
Drop off some sweets or flowers at someone’s doorstep.
Or why not post some postcards through your neighbours’ doors telling them you’re thinking of them?
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