London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Tuesday, May 12, 2026

Keir Starmer mobbing caused job doubts - Jo Cox sister

Keir Starmer mobbing caused job doubts - Jo Cox sister

The sister of murdered MP Jo Cox has said watching Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer mobbed by protesters caused her to question why she entered politics.

Kim Leadbeater, who holds Ms Cox's Batley and Spen seat, said the scenes near Parliament were challenging on a "personal, human level".

The Labour MP warned the Prime Minister Boris Johnson was "stoking anger".

Mr Johnson has branded behaviour directed at Sir Keir on Monday afternoon "completely unacceptable".

He has been criticised for falsely claiming that Sir Keir, a former director of public prosecutions, personally failed to launch proceedings against serial sex abuser Jimmy Savile.

Sir Keir was surrounded on Monday by a group heard shouting "traitor" and criticising his record on Covid, along with some cries of "Jimmy Savile".

Speaking to BBC Woman's Hour, Ms Leadbeater said she debated whether to speak out on the issue with her family on Monday night as it leads to "pile-ons on social media".

"It totally throws you because it brings back memories of what happened to us as a family, it makes me question why I'm doing this job," she said.

"On a really personal, human level it's really challenging".

Brendan Cox, Jo Cox's widower, said: "I think the people that are directly responsible for what happened yesterday were the people that did it.

"However, it's also true that if you inject poison into politics, that has a whole set of unintended consequences that people will react to in different ways and at times that can lead over into intimidation, it can lead over to violence, it can lead over into extremism," he told the Today programme.

Ms Leadbeater warned of "a culture of toxicity, aggression and lies" in politics at present, adding: "We need good, strong women in politics, why would you look at what's going on and think you'd want to put yourself forward to be part of that."

At least seven Tory MPs have linked Monday's scenes to Mr Johnson's remark, which was made in the Houses of Commons in response to Sir Keir's criticisms following the publication of Sue Gray's abridged report into Downing Street lockdown parties.

Mr Johnson has refused to apologise but has rowed back on his comment, insisting he was not attacking Sir Keir's "personal record".

A No 10 source told the BBC it was unreasonable to suggest that what happened "was Boris's fault and not the mob's fault".


Watch the moment protesters surround Labour leader Keir Starmer


Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
The War Map: Professor Jiang’s Dark Theory of Iran, Trump, China, Russia, Israel, and the Coming Global Shock [Podcast]
The End of the Old Order [Podcast]
Labour Is No Longer a National Party [Podcast]
Lawyers vs Engineers: Why China Builds While America Litigates [Podcast]
The AI Gold Rush Is Coming for America’s Last Open Spaces [Podcast]
The Pentagon’s AI Squeeze: Eight Tech Giants Get In, Anthropic Gets Shut Out [Podcast]
AI Isn’t Stealing Your Job. It’s Dismantling It Piece by Piece.
Kennedy’s Quiet War on Antidepressants Sparks Alarm Across America’s Medical Establishment
Britain’s Democracy Is Now a Costume
Churchill’s Glass: The Drunk, the Doctor, and the Myth Britain Refuses to Sober Up From
The Met Gala Meets the Age of Billionaire Backlash
Russian Oligarch’s Superyacht Crosses Hormuz via Iran-Controlled Route
Gunfire Disrupts White House Correspondents’ Dinner as Trump Is Evacuated
A Leak, a King, and a Fracturing Alliance
Inside the Gates Foundation Turmoil: Layoffs, Scrutiny, and the Cost of Reputational Risk
UK Biobank Breach Exposes Health Data of 500,000, Listed for Sale on Chinese Platform
KPMG Cuts Around 10% of US Audit Partners After Failed Exit Push
French Police Probe Suspected Weather-Data Tampering After Unusual Polymarket Bets on Paris Temperatures
CATL Unveils Revolutionary EV Battery Tech: 1000 km Range and 7-Minute Charging Ahead of Beijing Auto Show
Crypto Scammers Capitalize on Maritime Chaos Near the Strait of Hormuz: A Rising Threat to Shipping Companies
Changi Airport: How Singapore Engineered the World’s Most Efficient Travel Experience
Power Dynamics: Apple’s Leadership Shakeup, Geopolitical Risks in the Strait of Hormuz, and Europe's Energy Strategy Amidst Global Challenges
Apple's Leadership Transition: Can New CEO John Ternus Navigate AI Challenges and Geopolitical Pressures?
Italy’s €100K Tax Gambit: Europe’s Soft Power Tax Haven
News Roundup
Microsoft lost 2.5 millions users (French government) to Linux
Privacy Problems in Microsoft Windows OS
News roundup
Péter András Magyar and the Strategic Reset of Hungary
Hungary After the Landslide — A Strategic Reset in Europe
Meghan Markle Plans Exclusive Women-Focused Retreat During Australia Visit
Starmer and Trump Hold Strategic Talks on Securing Strait of Hormuz Amid Rising Tensions
Unofficial Australia Visit by Prince Harry and Meghan Expected to Stir Tensions with Royal Circles
Pipeline Attack Cuts Significant Share of Saudi Arabia’s Oil Export Capacity
UK Stocks Rise on Ceasefire Momentum and Renewed Focus on Diplomacy
UK to Hold Further Strategic Talks on Strait of Hormuz Security
Starmer Voices Frustration as Global Tensions Drive Up UK Energy Costs
UK Students Voice Concern Over Proposal for Automatic Military Draft Registration
Rising Volatility Drives Uncertainty in UK Fuel and Petrol Prices
UK Moves to Deploy ‘Skyhammer’ Anti-Drone System to Strengthen Airspace Defense
New Analysis Explores UK Budget Mechanics in ‘Behind the Blue’ Feature
Man Arrested After Four Die in Channel Crossing Tragedy
UK Tightens Immigration Framework with New Sponsor Rules and Fee Increases
UK Foreign Secretary Highlights Impact of Intensified Strikes in Lebanon
UK Urges Inclusion of Lebanon in US-Iran Ceasefire Framework
UK Stocks Ease as Ceasefire Doubts in Middle East Weigh on Investor Confidence
UK Reassesses Cloud Strategy Amid Criticism Over Limited Support Measures
UK Calls for Full and Toll-Free Access Through Strait of Hormuz Amid Rising Tensions
Starmer Signals Strategic Shift for Britain Amid Escalating Iran-Linked Tensions
UK Issues Firm Warning to Russia Over Covert Underwater Military Activity
×