Main political parties will not contest Labour for Jo Cox’s Parliamentary seat
![Labour Party leader Jeremy Corbyn lays flowers while Commons Speaker John Bercow and Prime Minister David Cameron look on in Birstall, West Yorkshire, after Labour MP Jo Cox was shot and stabbed to death in the street [Image: PA images].](https://voxpoliticalonline.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/06/160617-Jo-Cox-tributes.jpg)
Labour Party leader Jeremy Corbyn lays flowers while Commons Speaker John Bercow and Prime Minister David Cameron look on in Birstall, West Yorkshire, after Labour MP Jo Cox was shot and stabbed to death in the street [Image: PA images].
Britain’s main political parties have announced that they will not contest the parliamentary seat left vacant by the murder of Labour MP Jo Cox.
The Conservatives said this afternoon they would stand down in Batley and Spen “as a mark of respect” to the MP ahead of an unprecedented joint statement by Jeremy Corbyn and David Cameron.
The two party leaders, normally bitter rivals, jointly asked the nation to unite in a joint address in the constituency on Friday afternoon.
The Liberal Democrats and Ukip soon after confirmed that they too would not contest the seat, meaning Labour’s candidate is very likely to be elected unopposed – barring a challenge by independents or minnows.
The news comes as it is announced that Parliament will be recalled on Monday to allow MPs to pay tribute to Ms Cox.
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Yeah, they say that now Mike but just you wait, as we all know, politicians say one thing, then go and do the other!
Maybe so but I suspect, if any of them did contest the seat, they would lose their deposits. Jo Cox seemed to be liked by most people in her constituency, not just Labour voters. Playing politics with the circumstances of her death would not go down well.
In this case their own self-interest is against running against the seat. After all they hardly want to send the message that election results can be overturned by assassination
I doubt the non-Labour parties could have done anything else: none can be allowed to get a 2nd chance at winning a seat by an MP’s assassination.