Jo Cox suspect's family friend 'thought he'd gone to help' MP

ommy Mair was named locally as the suspect arrested after Labour MP Jo Cox was shot. Credit: Batley and Birstall News

A friend of Jo Cox murder suspect Tommy Mair's mum has told ITV News she is in shock at the news that he has been arrested in connection with the MP's death as she "honestly thought he'd gone to help" her.

Rosemary Surman, who was with Mary Mair when footage of the attack was aired on television told ITV News' Damon Green that Tommy was "a nice person" and she "never thought for one minute that he was any part of it".

She also told ITV News of the moment that she and Tommy's mum realised that he could have been been involved in the attack on Ms Cox and how Mary Mair now had to "live with this now the rest of her life or try and cope with it".

Describing Tommy as a "very intelligent person" who was "kind and loving" the family friend added "one minute you think you know someone and the next minute they're not the same".