Assassination Of Jo Cox Shows Deep Division Brexit Generates

The shocking murder of Labour MP Jo Cox is all the more striking because it happened in Britain where guns and gun ownership is highly regulated. It appears that the gunman may have used a home-made weapon built from instructions sent to him by a US neo-Nazi group.  Although this detail has not been confirmed, it would be terrible if America’s obsession with guns contributed to Ms. Cox death in any way. In addition, as with the killer in Orlando, it has been reported that the suspect has had some history of mental illness.

Whatever the killer’s mental state, this was clearly a political assassination and it highlights the strong feelings that the upcoming vote on Britain’s exit from the European Union has generated. And regardless of the outcome of the vote next week, those feelings will still remain and will be a defining part of British politics in the years ahead.