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The sister of murdered MP Jo Cox today said she was “extremely proud” as the Government unveiled charities around the world that will benefit from a £10 million memorial fund.
Kim Leadbeater said it was “truly heart-warming” that some of the poorest countries would be helped in memory of the former Labour MP for Batley and Spen.
Ms Cox was shot and stabbed in the West Yorkshire constituency in the run-up to the EU referendum in June 2016. Right-wing extremist Thomas Mair was jailed for life for her murder.
Today the Government revealed that 18 charities have been awarded Jo Cox Memorial Grants, set up with £10 million funding from UK aid.
In an interview with the Standard, Ms Leadbeater described her sister as a “humanitarian” and added: “It’s wonderful to see Jo’s name used in such a positive way around the world.
“One of the things that’s kept us going as a family over the past three-and-a-half years has been all the amazing things that have come out of Jo’s horrific murder.
“For us things will never be the same again and we will never get over or understand what’s happened but it’s acts like this that enable us to keep going as a family.”
The fund, set up by the Department for International Development, will support charities working on themes close to Ms Cox’s heart, including empowering women and girls and preventing conflict.
Minister Baroness Sugg was today meeting with some of the charities and said: “Jo dedicated her life to helping those in need. It’s wonderful that as part of Jo’s legacy, we can work together on these issues close to her heart to make a difference in the world.”
Projects include giving vulnerable women in Zimbabwe education and training, supporting marginalised women to get involved in local government in Nepal, and preventing identity-based violence in Burundi and Democratic Republic of Congo.
When Brexit debates grew particularly heated, Ms Leadbeater spoke out to criticise politicians for using divisive language that risked stoking up violence.
