MP Cox's memorial fund hits £1million

TRAGIC ... Jo Cox

THE widower of tragic MP Jo Cox has thanked the public for their "incredible generosity" as a charity fund set up in her memory passed the £1 million mark.

Brendan Cox's message came after a day of tributes and tears in the House of Commons as politicians gathered to pay respects to the popular MP, who died after being shot and stabbed in her Batley and Spen constituency.

Friends of Mrs Cox set up the Go Fund Me page in "celebration and memory" of the popular MP, and it passed the £1 million mark shortly before 8.30pm on Monday after more than 30,500 people made donations that will be divided between three charities.

Mr Cox tweeted: "Thank you to everyone for your incredible generosity. This will change lives in Syria, Batley and across the UK."

The fund was pushed past the seven-figure mark by a £6,000 donation from a "David Newton" which joined offerings small and large that have poured in over the last three days following the Labour MP's death after she was attacked outside a library in Birstall.

Mrs Cox's friend Tim Dixon, one of those who launched the fund, said: "The scale and speed of the public response to this fund has been overwhelming.

"It shows how powerfully Jo's story has moved so many. Jo would be so proud."

Go Fund Me said the appeal was the largest UK fund it has seen, and the third largest globally.