'Fight against the hatred that killed her': Agony of Labour MP's husband after she is shot dead in street near her office by attacker 'who shouted Britain First then kicked her while she lay bleeding'
- West Yorkshire MP was arriving at her local office when she was attacked by a man who wrestled her to the ground
- Attacker said to have shouted 'Britain First' as he kicked mother-of-two before shooting and repeatedly stabbing her
- 52-year-old man, named locally as gardener Tommy Mair, was arrested at scene after armed police flooded the area
- Political leaders have now sent their thoughts to 41-year-old victim's husband Brendan and their two young children
- Her husband Brendan posted moving picture of his wife and urged people to 'fight against the hatred that killed her'
- Mrs Cox described as 'one of the brightest and most popular' MPs as David Cameron said 'we have lost a great star'
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A Labour MP has died after she was shot three times and repeatedly stabbed in a shocking attack as she arrived at her constituency surgery. Married mother-of-two Jo Cox, 41, who became an MP last year, was airlifted to hospital after a gunman opened fire on her in Birstall near Leeds. Witnesses said the man was at the office before she arrived and shot her three times - once in the head - before stabbing her with 'a foot-long hunting knife' as she lay helpless on the ground.
Her husband Brendan tweeted a photo of his wife two hours after she died from catastrophic injuries. He later urged people to 'fight against the hatred that killed her.' In a statement, he said: 'Today is the beginning of a new chapter in our lives. More difficult, more painful, less joyful, less full of love. I and Jo's friends and family are going to work every moment of our lives to love and nurture our kids and to fight against the hate that killed Jo.
'Jo believed in a better world and she fought for it every day of her life with an energy, and a zest for life that would exhaust most people.
'She would have wanted two things above all else to happen now, one that our precious children are bathed in love and two, that we all unite to fight against the hatred that killed her. Hate doesn't have a creed, race or religion, it is poisonous. 'Jo would have no regrets about her life, she lived every day of it to the full.'
A 52-year-old - named locally as 'loner' Tommy Mair from Birstall - has been arrested by police and his house is currently being searched by forensics. Police said a have-a-go hero, a 77-year-old local man who tried to help, suffered a stab wound to his stomach but is expected to make a full recovery.
Popular MP Jo Cox, 41, has tragically died after she was shot three times - once in the head - and stabbed repeatedly with a 'foot-long knife' by a man as she arrived for a constituency meeting in Birstall near Leeds today. She leaves behind her husband and two children
Mrs Cox, 41, is pictured with her husband Brendan on election night when she was elected as an MP for the Batley and Spen area (left) and posing happily with her husband on their wedding day (right). The MP was shot and died of her injuries outside a constituency
