Friday, 17 June 2016

A Sad Day

After an immensely sad 24 hours following a depressing 12 months before a rubbish 5 years, we have arrived at this. A Labour MP, Jo Cox, being murdered in broad daylight for little more than her political views it seems. It is a sad state of affairs and every time I read about it or see it on the news, it's just sad. No other way of saying it, simply bone-numbingly sad. Sad because a bright burning light has been put out all too soon and hundreds of lives changed but sad because of what this says about political debate and the background it stems from.

The one hope that I have is that this awful event could maybe raise the level of political discourse in the country, something Jo Cox was able to fight against as she battled for her beliefs and stuck to her principles, over refugees most prominently. I hold this hope having been completely disengaged with politics since May 2015 when fear and division won. This has lead, on an increasingly downward spiral, to the hate filled, fear fuelled, emotion driven referendum debate. My belief is that this negative and divisive campaigning, tone and policies are the reasons behind the horrendous killing of Jo Cox.

I am hesitant to raise politics at this difficult period of time, especially as others have been criticised for doing so but when a politician is killed for apparent political reasoning then I feel there has to be some reflection, retrospection and investigation. Personally I feel all politicians and the media need to have a long hard look at themselves and ask if they have always kept the tone elevated and campaigning on the right topics and have used the facts accurately.

I want to raise the ugly face of patriotism and look back to the fear of the SNP coming and "taking over" our 'British' Parliament in the general election of 2015. I look back at the 'British votes' law which was voted through. I look at the fear and hate filled campaigning on immigration, those foreigners coming here and taking our jobs, money, houses and all the rapists, murderers and criminals coming from abroad. Can anyone realistically say this rhetoric, which is quite clearly designed to rile, anger and fuel emotion, is not at all to blame for Jo Cox's murder?

All that I have mentioned used to be the discussion kept to the outer reaches of politics but the sudden lurch to the right in British politics has brought it very much front and centre. This fear, anger and desperation is enough to make even a right thinking person consider their beliefs but imagine where these words might lead someone who suffers from mental health issues and what might go through their mind. Politicians, media and advisors need to carefully consider the potential effects of their words in the future and if there is one thing I hope comes from these dark days I hope it is this.

Much of my sadness and my words have been aimed at the right of politics but the left also needs to look at themselves. The rebuttal of this fear and hatred has to be a stronger message of hope, togetherness and positivity, Labour and their friends haven't had an answer to immigration and this should be a priority to push back against this awful narrative. Corbyn needs to begin to start discussing with and persuading his detractors not simply dismissing or ignoring it as a criticism of him, the left needs to be winning over people across the spectrum and bringing people together.

Famously the pen is supposed to be mightier than the sword and so the entire country needs to learn its lessons from this tragedy. We need to return to factual politics, not the politics of emotion. We need positive, thoughtful, empathetic words to reunite the country not divide it. Jo Cox's death is a tragedy of the grandest proportions, the only way to honour her is to fight for what she believed so passionately in.


For some further thoughts which follow a similar tone but are probably far more eloquent that mine, I would urge you to watch the video of James O'Brian on LBC posted in this Mirror article......http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/james-obrien-launches-passionate-rant-8220381

Regardless of your view, your political position or background I would also urge you to add your name to the no doubt thousands in the book of condolence here....https://donation.labour.org.uk/w/jo-cox-condolences

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