Britain mourns slain lawmaker Jo Cox, throwing EU referendum into limbo

Britain is mourninglawmaker Jo Cox a day after a man wielding a gun and knifekilled the 41-year-old motheroftwo in a brazen street attackthat has thrownthe June 23 referendum on European Unionmembership into limbo.

Cox, a supporter of Britain staying in the EU, was shot andrepeatedly stabbed in her own constituency near Leeds innorthern England on Thursday by a man who witnesses said had shouted"Britain first."

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She was pronounced dead just over 48 minutes later by adoctor working with a paramedic crew trying to save her life. A52-year-old man was arrestednearby, and weaponsincluding a firearm were recovered.

The killing prompted a halt to campaigning in the EUreferendum. Though the motives of the killer were notimmediately clear, some speculated that sympathy for Cox couldboost the Remain campaign, which has fallen behind Leave inrecent days.

Police said they were not in a position to discuss themotive of the attack.

They said Coxhad previously contacted police after receiving "malicious communications," and a man was arrested in March.

That man not the 52-year-old now in custody "subsequently accepted a police caution," investigators said.

In London, theUnionJack was flying at half-mast over theHouses of Parliament, Downing Street and BuckinghamPalace, whilea steady stream of people came to lay flowers at Parliament Square,on the sidewalk near a large photo of Cox.

Others stood quietly, reading the heartfelt messages left by mourners.

"We are so sorry," said one handwritten note attached to a bunch of white roses.

On a white placard growing dark with signatures, someone wrote, "You can't kill democracy."

"She had the same political beliefs as me, and this sort of thing doesn't happen often here," said a man who had come to place some roses.

"I just wanted to remember her."

Shaista Ahmad Sheehan, a peer of the House of Lords, also started her day by placing some flowers on the sidewalk.

She worked with Cox on an all-party group that Coxhad set up to help people trapped within Syria who were not receiving any aid.

"She was an inspirational leader," Sheehansaid, visibly emotional. "I'm so sad that she's gone."

Politicians paid tribute to Cox and expressed shockat the killing, as did leaders across Europe and the world.

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Prime Minister David Cameron said the killing of Coxwas a tragedy.

"We have lost a great star," said Cameron, whovisited Cox's constituency on Friday, joined by Labour Leader JeremyCorbyn. "She was a great campaigning MP with hugecompassion, with a big heart. It is dreadful, dreadful news."

Corbyn saidParliamentwill be recalled on Monday to allow lawmakers to pay tribute toCox.

Parliament has not been sitting since Thursday, to allowcampaigning ahead of the referendum.

InBirstall,hundreds of people attended a vigil at a localchurch.

"Jo believed in a better world and she fought for it everyday of her life with an energy and a zest for life that wouldexhaust most people," said Cox's husband, Brendan Cox.

"She would have wanted two things above all else to happennow:one that our precious children are bathed in love and two,that we all unite to fight against the hatred that killed her."

Residents gathered inthe central square where a mountain of flowers was steadily growing just a few feet from the police cordon set up around the spot where Cox was attacked.

Four police officers moved closer to the memorial in order to make people safe, one of them said.

"It's very sad she's been taken in such circumstances a young mother,a young wife, everything to look forward to," said Abu Momoniat, 59, who lives in the area.

"To be taken in such a small town where she's been serving It's just a tragedy, really," she told CBC's Nahlah Ayed.

"Everywhere the mood is just so down at the moment, everyone is so shocked," said another resident, Aisha, who did not want her last name used. She broke down in tears as she spoke.

Neo-Nazi link?

Media reports, citing witnesses, said the attacker hadshouted out "Britain first,"which is the name of a right-wingnationalist group that describes itself on its website as "apatriotic political party and street defence organization."

The deputy leader of the group, Jayda Fransen, distanced itfrom the attack, which she described as "absolutely disgusting."

West Yorkshire's elected police and crime commissioner said"our information is that this is a localized incident, albeitone that has a much wider impact."

The killer was named by media as Thomas Mair.

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A U.S. civil rights group, the Southern Poverty Law Center(SPLC), based in Alabama, said on its website that it hadobtained records showing a Thomas Mair had links with theneo-Nazi organization National Alliance (NA) dating back to1999.

The SPLC posted images showing what it said were purchaseorders for books bought by Mair, whose address is given asBatley, from the NA's publishing arm National Vanguard Books inMay of that year. The orders included a manual on how to build apistol, it said. Batley is a community less than five kilometres from Birstall.

Family members, including his brother, said that Mair hadnot expressed strong political views, the Guardianreported.

"He has a history of mental illness but he has had help,"the newspaperquoted Scott Mairas saying.

"I am struggling to believe what has happened. My brother isnot violent and is not all that political. I don't even know whohe votes for."

Neighbours were quoted by media as describing a man who hadlived in the same house for at least 40 years and helped localsweed their flowerbeds.

Gun ownership is highly restricted in Britain, and attacksof any nature on public figures are rare. The last Britishlawmaker to have been killed in an attack was Ian Gow, who diedafter a bomb planted by the Irish Republican Army (IRA) explodedunder his car at his home in southern England in 1990.

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