Yesterday Jo Cox was murdered doing what she has dedicated her life to: serving the people.

Before entering Parliament, Jo fought tirelessly for the most vulnerable and disadvantaged around the world. And in her year in Parliament Jo showed tremendous leadership, standing up for the Syrian people, working across party lines, bringing people together, and making the world a better place.

Jo never stopped fighting for what is right, and for those who needed a voice. She exemplified not only the best values of our Party, but also of our country: internationalism, compassion and solidarity.

In the year that Jo and I have been in Parliament together we have shared an office and many good times together. For me, our little corner of Portcullis House will, quite simply, never be the same again.

I’ll miss Jo’s raucous laugh, her infectious good humour, her relentless optimism and her relentless tenacity.

Today, not only have the people of Britain lost one of the best MPs we have, not only have I lost a dear friend, but most tragically, Jo’s family have lost a loving mother, wife and daughter.

I will miss her immensely, but above all, my thoughts are with Brendan, their children and the rest of her family.