Jo Cox's distraught husband vows to 'fight against the hatred that killed her' as it's claimed police were poised to step up her security

Murdered Labour MP Jo Cox was subjected to a barrage of hate mail in the three months prior to her brutal killing and police had been considering stepping up her security, it has emerged today. The married 41-year-old mother-of-two was punched and kicked to the ground by her attacker before being shot three times - once in the head - with a sawn-off shotgun and repeatedly stabbed with a 'foot-long hunting knife' as she lay helpless on the ground outside a West Yorkshire library. The rising Labour star and dedicated MP died from the catastrophic injuries she sustained in yesterday's attack, after the killer ambushed her as she walked to her constituency surgery in Birstall near Leeds. Two hours after her death, her husband Brendan (pictured together right on their wedding day) - with whom she has two young children, aged three and five - tweeted a photograph of his wife and urged people to 'fight against the hatred that killed her.' In a moving statement, he said: '[This] is the beginning of a new chapter in our lives. More difficult, more painful, less joyful, less full of love. I and Jo's friends and family are going to work every moment of our lives to love and nurture our kids and to fight against the hate that killed Jo.' It came as it emerged that police had been poised to step up security for Mrs Cox, who became an MP for Batley and Spen last year, as she had been harassed in a stream of abusive messages over the last three months. A 52-year-old - named locally as 'loner' Tommy Mair (left) - has been arrested by police and his house is currently being searched by forensic experts. Pictures (left and inset) have circulated online which appear to show the suspect after he was tackled by police.

source: dailymail