Jo Cox murder: A crime that shook the country

Until the 16th of June the summer of 2016 was set to be defined by one story.

Following the decision that a historic referendum would be held over the UK's membership of the European Union, campaigning was in full swing and the two sides were trading impassioned and increasingly bitter blows over the country's relationship with its continental partners.

With the June 23 vote just a week away, debate was reaching its frenzied height and showed no sign of abating.

And then a tragic turn of events brought the Referendum juggernaut shuddering to a halt.

News of a shooting in Birstall started to filter through at around lunchtime – an unusual crime to take place in daylight in this unassuming market town, but not an incident which would usually have such far-reaching ramifications.

Then came the first whispers that the victim was the town's much-loved MP, Jo Cox. Those rumours were quickly confirmed.

By the time Mrs Cox's death was announced at around 5.15pm, the country's media had descended on Birstall and politicians of all persuasions, for many weeks starkly divided on either side of the Remain/Leave fence, came together to express a deep sense of shock and loss.

Early reports about the circumstances of the attack only served to intensify the sense of horror about what had happened. Mrs Cox's attacker had allegedly shouted "Britain first" as he repeatedly shot and stabbed her. He failed to relent even as witnesses tried to intervene.

Having carried out the fatal assault, he calmly walked away.

Given the toxicity of the political atmosphere at the time, the suggestion that Mrs Cox had been targeted by an extremist because of her outspoken pro-European views, and in particular her liberal attitude towards immigration, demanded an examination of the nature of the debate that was taking place at the time.

In her death Mrs Cox would become known by the mantra "more in common" – a soundbite taken from her maiden parliamentary speech in which she said: "We are far more united and have far more in common with each other than things that divide us."

It was an unsurprising, but nonetheless significant, moment when it was announced that campaigning in the Referendum would be temporarily suspended.

The arguments would resume again three days later, but on June 20, three days before the seminal EU vote, political differences were once again set aside as MPs came together in the House of Commons in a rare show of unity to pay tribute.

Mrs Cox's widower, Brendan, and their two children were in the House as a white and a red rose were placed in her usual place on the Labour benches.

Rachel Reeves, MP for the Leeds West constituency not far from Birstall, spoke for many when she said: "It now falls on all of our shoulders to carry on Jo's work – to combat and guard against hatred, intolerance and injustice and serve others with dignity and love."

Those words were echoed by Mr Cox following the end of the court case, when he called for "an unassailable wall of British tolerance" to be built in the face of division.