Labour MP shot dead near Leeds

http://www.heraldscotland.com/news/14562830.Jo_Cox_killing__Scot_held_over_MP_s_death_had_a_history_of_mental_health_issues/

Jo Cox killing: Scot held over MP's death had a history of mental health issues

A SCOT held over the killing of Labour MP Jo Cox had a history of mental health issues and was described by neighbours as a “loner”.

Tommy Mair, 52, who was reportedly born in Kilmarnock, was detained by police near his home in Birstall, West Yorkshire following the attack on the MP for Batley and Spen.

Officers were seen searching his house not far from the scene of the attack near Leeds.

READ MORE: Jo Cox killing: Man detained over MP's death is reportedly from Scotland


Mr Mair, whose home is a small, semi-detached house on the Field Head council estate, in Birstall, is understood to have lived in the property for 40 years.

His brother, Scott, 49, confirmed he had a history of mental illness and said he had wept when he heard about the killing of Mrs Cox.

He said: “I am struggling to believe what has happened. My brother is not violent and is not all that political. I don’t even know who he votes for. He has a history of mental illness, but he has had help.

I cried when I heard. I am so sorry for her and her family.”

Mair's half-brother, Duane St Louis, 41, speaking from his house in Dewsbury, west Yorkshire said he couldn’t believe the news. “I recognised him in handcuffs on the ground,” he said. “It felt like a dream. I just couldn’t believe he’d do something like that.

“I phoned my mum and she was watching too. She tried to phone his mobile but couldn’t get through and she knew something was up.”

He insisted his brother had never expressed any racist views and seemed fine to have a mixed-race sibling. Asked whether he had any strong political views, St Louis said: “Not that I know of.”

One local said they heard the man shout “Britain first” before the shooting and during the arrest.

Neighbours said Mr Mair had lived there for more than 30 years – on his own for the last two decades since the death of his grandmother....etc.

Kirstie Mary Allsopp ‏@KirstieMAllsopp 57m57 minutes ago
Congratulations to @pollytoynbee in the race to bottom she has got there first. She makes Liz Jones look self aware and sensitive.

I have read Ms Toynbee's piece in the Guardian, and it is a sickening piece of exploitative politicking.

We know exactly the same as we did yesterday - that Ms Cox was killed by a mentally-ill man. All else is speculation, and in many cases, outright invention.

Ms Tonynbee deserves to be regarded in the same light as the many lunatics on social media announcing that The Jews did it as part of a False Flag after manipulating him with drugs.

At times like this, social media is more of a curse than a blessing.

http://www.lbc.co.uk/jo-cox-witness-says-no-one-shouted-britain-first-132375

Cox Witness Says No One Shouted Britain First

0
Friday 17th June 2016

A sign in a shop by the spot Jo Cox was killed states the claims that the gunman shouted "Britain First" are untrue.



Picture: LBC

The message in the landerette's window says: "Please note, I did not tackle the gunman. And no one shouted Britain First at any time."

LBC's reporter in Birstall Bethan Davies spoke to Ahmed Tahir, the owner, who insisted he has not spoken to anyone who heard that phrase.

And Mr Tahir admitted he was worried for his safety after reports named him for making to original claim.

What was that old saying -

A lie can travel halfway around the world before the truth can get its boots on

http://annaraccoon.com/2016/06/17/cox-fighting/

Cox Fighting.
by ANNA RACCOON on JUNE 17, 2016

Well said.

Notice there has been very little outcry about this?

http://www.scotsman.com/news/angry-voter-who-chased-labour-councillor-with-chainsaw-escapes-prison-1-4155892

Angry voter who chased Labour councillor with chainsaw escapes prison

An irate voter has been spared jail for threatening to kill a Labour councillor and chasing him down the street with a running chainsaw while the politician was on the campaign trail.

Conrad Procter, 40, shouted abuse at Labour councillor Paul O’Kane, 28, while he was out campaigning for former Scottish Labour leader Jim Murphy - telling him he would “cut his head off”.

Sheriff Seith Ireland said he had “troublesome attitudes” but let him walk free from court after saying he had “come very close to going to custody”.


• READ MORE: Unemployment in Scotland falls by 11,000

Tempers flared when Councillor O’Kane was canvassing in Procter’s home street in Barrhead, East Renfrewshire, on April 6 last year during the build up to last year’s General Election.

Giving evidence about the ordeal, Councillor O’Kane said: “I heard some shouting about the Labour Party. ‘Red Tories! Get out of here!’ and ‘no-one wants to speak to you!’

“The voice was aggressive. I saw the gentleman in his garden. I walked a few doors down.

“He was holding an electric chainsaw. He turned it on. He held it aloft.”

Labour Party campaigner Christopher Quinn, 23, said Procter armed himself with the running chainsaw, left his garden and pursued them down the street.

• READ MORE: Strikes at ScotRail loom closer after peace talks fail

Procter denied behaving in a threatening or abusive manner which was likely to cause a reasonable person to suffer fear or alarm but he was convicted following a trial at Paisley Sheriff Court last month and sentence was deferred for him to be assessed by social workers.

When he returned to the dock to learn his fate, defence solicitor Raymond McIlwham described his client’s conduct on the day in question as “unusual and very serious.”


He added: “He accepts involvement in this incident but he continues to dispute that any persons were pursued down the street - what he disputes is any movement by him outwith his garden area. He’s not stupid and fully appreciates how serious this is.”

Sheriff Seith Ireland placed Procter on a 12-month Community Payback Order as a direct alternative to custody, he said: “Everyone’s political views must be respected.”



Chasing people with a running chainsaw is pretty high on the deranged scale - but oddly, this seems to have had little coverage. Presumably because no-one's worked out how to blame Farage for it.

http://heatst.com/uk/jo-cox-mp-was-the-best-of-britain-politicising-her-death-is-the-worst/

Quote:

It is beyond disgusting, then, to use this man’s mental collapse and psychological unsoundness as a weapon in a political campaign. Let the doctors weigh in before we ascribe any part of this to ordinary politics.

The vile tone of Polly Toynbee and Alex Massie, whose piece in the Spectator has been altered post-hoc after a huge online backlash, is indefensible. The BBC News Twitter feed last night had not ONE SINGLE tweet about Mair’s mental illness, but plenty over whether he shouted “put Britain first” or not.

Campaigners like The Independent have not hesitated to make political capital.

Many have a menacing picture of Mair in what look like combat fatigues. It is a cropped picture. The full picture shows Mair is wearing a camouflage jacket and big red gardening gloves, sitting on a park bench with a pair of secateurs. He was just gardening:



The exact same bastions of the regressive left who rightly demanded that the Orlando massacre not be blamed on Muslims have not hesitated to try to pin this brutal killing on Brexit campaigners, who are fighting a strong, just and non-racist campaign for Britain to leave the EU.

I can only pray that they do not succeed in their frankly wicked attempt to use public grief over Jo Cox in this way.

http://www.breitbart.com/london/2016/06/17/project-mourn-remains-dirty-politicking-has-hit-an-all-time-low/

Project Grief: Remain’s Dirty Politicking Has Hit an All-Time Low

Quote:

One of the few voices of reason so far in this ugly affair has been editor Brendan O’Neill:

I don’t have very high expectations of the British media. But even I am shocked at the speed with which sections of it have sought to make political mileage from Jo Cox’s death. Pro-Remain journalists, swathes of the broadsheet set, are already discussing her death as a consequence of Brexit campaigning, as a foul spin-off of foul politics. They’re saying that of course Brexiteers aren’t directly responsible, but… that wretched “but”, which means “but they are responsible”. Remainers are already pointing a collective finger at the “political climate” cultivated by Brexit and suggesting it nurtured this murder. I thought they would wait, a day perhaps, before marshalling this tragedy to their cause. But no.

Politically exploiting a murder, morally blackmailing Brexiteers to tone down their campaign, and inadvertently diminishing the culpability of the killer by suggesting “the climate” bears some responsibility for what he did — I think it’s possible the British media has just reached a new low, the lowest low.

O’Neill is right. In the savannah, the vultures usually leave it at least a few hours before descending to feast on carrion. This lot, though, just couldn’t wait to get their beaks dirty: all – and this is the really contemptible part – while pretending they’re still up there, soaring high in the sky, owning the moral heights.

Funny, politicians didn't used to be so sensitive....

http://www.dailyecho.co.uk/news/district/eastleigh/10233755.Labour_candidate__disappointed__Mrs_Thatcher_didn_t_die_in_Brighton_bomb/

17 Feb 2013 / Julian Robinson, Eastleigh Chief Reporter
Share: 107 comments

LABOUR’S Eastleigh by-election hopeful is at the centre of a storm today over revelations that he once wrote of his hopes Margaret Thatcher had been murdered in a terrorist attack.

John O’Farrell told of his “surge of excitement” on hearing of the IRA bomb attack on Brighton’s Grand Hotel in 1984 – adding that was “disappointed” the assassination attempt had failed.

The satirist, aiming to take the seat vacated by shamed Chris Huhne, wrote that he asked himself: “Why did she have to leave the bathroom two minutes earlier?”

Two Tory MPs were genuinely assassinated by the IRA back then. By elections were held, and contested.

http://www.breitbart.com/london/2016/06/17/britain-first-eyewitness-bnp-member-list/

The eyewitness who insists Jo Cox’s killer shouted “Britain First” before murdering the MP was on the leaked British Nationalist Party (BNP) membership and contacts list. Britain First and the BNP are known to be openly hostile toward one another.
As a result of eyewitness Clarke Rothwell’s claims, the media have been quick to link the Labour MP’s murder to Britain First, a hard line nationalist group. Much of the press has also linked the killing to Britain’s European Union (EU) referendum, and Germany’s Chancellor Merkel has claimed the Leave campaign is to blame for the murder, for using “radical” language.

Mr Rothwell, who witnessed the brutal attack on the mother of two, told BBC Newsnight: “The words I heard [Cox’s attacker] say were Britain first, or put Britain first,

“I can’t say exactly what it was but definitely Britain first is what he said, what he was shouting. He shouted it at least twice.”

Gas fitter Mr Rothwell, who was working near to the murder scene yesterday, appears on the leaked BNP membership and contacts list. Britain First was founded as a splinter group of the now effectively defunct, far right BNP and there is known hostility between the two groups....full story at link.

So, the person who started this whole ball rolling - apparently the only person who heard those words shouted - is a member of a rival group to Britain First?

I hope the police find something to charge him with, too.

  and    and    again.  Phew!

Today has not been the British political classes' finest hour, Lily. Or the British media. One lot is exploiting a woman's death for votes, the other is exploiting a woman's death for sales and clicks on websites.

I wish they would all STFU, let Ms Cox's family mourn, let the police do their job, and wait for the full, ACCURATE story to become clear.

Instead of constantly hyping up every rumour and downright fabrication that comes their way.

Unfortunately, Bonny, we have become a world needing instant gratification.......

Yes, you're right, that's a lot of it, Lily. Between social media and 24-hour rolling news, no-one ever seems to take time to just THINK and stay silent.

That's horrendous!  While I am not blaming the psychologist who talked to him the night before, other people knew he had mental problems.   Britain never used to be a country who didn't care about others having serious problems.......what a terrible shame.  

It may not be a matter of not caring, Lily - more overstretched resources? And if a patient chooses not to co-operate for any reason, there's little than can be done to force them.

I won't be surprised if the worms in the alleged killer's head finally escaped because his benefit had been stopped, or something.

Thank you, Bonny.  I can retain my sense of fairness of play there in that case. 

http://news.sky.com/story/1713711/thomas-mair-charged-with-murder-of-mp-jo-cox

Thomas Mair Charged With Murder Of MP Jo Cox
The 52-year-old arrives at Westminster Magistrates' Court accused of murder and three other offences.

Thomas Mair, 52, has arrived at court after being charged with murder in connection with the shooting of Labour MP Jo Cox, West Yorkshire Police said.

Mrs Cox was attacked in the street outside her constituency surgery in Birstall, near Leeds, at lunchtime on Thursday.

West Yorkshire Police say Mair has also been charged with grievous bodily harm, possession of a firearm with intent to commit an indictable offence and possession of an offensive weapon.

He will appear at Westminster Magistrates' Court later today......etc.


Under UK law, that should now be the end of the rumour-mongering and hysteria from the media. I will happily wager that, when the full story comes out in court, it will be yet another sad, squalid little story that ended in tragedy, with no resemblance to anything in the hyped-up headlines we've seen over the last few days.

But Sky isn't amiss to getting in a final bit of propaganda - note they are using the cropped pic of Mair which makes it look as if he is some kind of para-military?

Instead of a troubled, middle-aged man doing some gardening in a shirt with a camouflage pattern.

Report from the dock:

Daniel Sandford ‏@BBCDanielS 11m11 minutes ago
The prosecutor will be David Cawthorne. Keith Allen acting for Thomas Mair.

Daniel Sandford ‏@BBCDanielS 12m12 minutes ago
Thomas Mair has a dock security officer sitting on each side of him. Court silent as we await Deputy Chief Magistrate Emma Arbuthnot

Daniel Sandford ‏@BBCDanielS 13m13 minutes ago
Thomas Mair is in the dock behind reinforced glass. Wearing a police issue grey tracksuit. Balding, short hair and a neat short beard
===

Daniel Sandford ‏@BBCDanielS 5m5 minutes ago
The defendant said nothing when asked his address and his date of birth.

Daniel Sandford ‏@BBCDanielS 6m6 minutes ago
Asked his name the defendant in the dock says "My name is death to traitors, freedom for Britain."


Yup, nutter.

https://inews.co.uk/essentials/news/thomas-mair-gives-name-death-traitors-freedom-britain/

Quote:

Mair was not required to enter a plea and his lawyer Keith Allen said there was no indication of what plea would be given. He also told the court that legal aid has been applied for.

He will be held at Belmarsh Prison, and Deputy Chief Magistrate Emma Arbuthnot suggested that a psychiatric report should be prepared, saying: “Bearing in mind the name he has just given, he ought to be seen by a psychiatrist.”

I diagnose 'nutter'. And unless the charges are increased at a later date, there seems to be no mention of terrorism?

It's cynical headlines like that that fuel conspiracy theories.

bb1 wrote:https://inews.co.uk/essentials/news/thomas-mair-gives-name-death-traitors-freedom-britain/

Quote:

Mair was not required to enter a plea and his lawyer Keith Allen said there was no indication of what plea would be given. He also told the court that legal aid has been applied for.

He will be held at Belmarsh Prison, and Deputy Chief Magistrate Emma Arbuthnot suggested that a psychiatric report should be prepared, saying: “Bearing in mind the name he has just given, he ought to be seen by a psychiatrist.”

I diagnose 'nutter'. And unless the charges are increased at a later date, there seems to be no mention of terrorism?

I understand what you are saying Bonny

However, I am not sure that those using immoderate language, and promoting posters such as one labelled "breaking point" can entirely abdicate all responsibility.

Writing him off as a "nutter" is avoiding the implication that he seems to have gone looking for his target, equipped with a knife and a gun. Something had wound him up enough to wish to kill.

Well, maybe it was the sight of the late Ms Cox on Geldof's boat the previous day, Jean-Pierre? Her husband was in one of those ribs that were buzzing the bigger boats with a woman (and most foolishly, with their young children) but she was on the big boat.



I didn't know these people from Adam - except noting Geldof's vile behaviour and the stupidity of putting the children at risk - but maybe someone from her constituency would? Someone who was a bit unbalanced already, and had seen mental health services in the area slashed? Someone who, later that day, went to a drop-in centre looking for help?

I don't know, but I am certainly not blaming posters which used a photograph that was all over the news a few months ago. I hope the whole story comes out in court, as there is, IMO, a lot more to this than meets the eye.

Why did the Soros-backed SPLC in the US handily have supposed receipts from twenty years ago supposedly involving the accused?

Why are the same people who were mocking and cheering when Margaret Thatcher died now demanding democracy be silenced, and the nation don sackcloth and ashes?

It is a tragedy that Ms Cox's life was cut short so violently, and I feel heartbroken for her children - but this Diana-esque, compulsory emotional incontinence is an unedifying spectacle. Malcolm Tucker would be proud of the ghouls that have hi-jacked her death.

Like this:

http://order-order.com/2016/06/20/will-straw/

WILL STRAW ORDERED REMAIN TO ATTACK LEAVE OVER JO COX DEATH



Remain campaign director Will Straw sent the above email to the Stronger In mailing list yesterday. The thinking behind it is revealed in a recording of a conference call, obtained by Guido, which took place yesterday afternoon. Straw told Remain campaigners that voters had been “pulled up short” by the murder of Jo Cox, and that Stronger In should now attack the Leave side for creating “division and resentment”. Straw says they should respond to Cox’s death – “the new context that we’re in” – by claiming only they represent “a decent, tolerant” Britain.

If this ghoulish display is Remain's idea of 'decent' - count me out.

Marcher Lord ‏@MarcherLord1 3h3 hours ago
"MPs stood shoulder to shoulder in Parliament today, united in their grief for a former colleague"



Nice decent, tolerant T-shirt, there.