(BRUSSELS) The EU referendum campaign was suspended Thursday afternoon (16 June) after an MP was left in a critical condition in a shooting and stabbing attack.
Labour MP Jo Cox, who supports the Remain side in the EU campaign, was attacked by a man who reportedly shouted “Britain first”.
The incident took place in Birstall, in northern England, next to a library where Cox usually meets people from her West Yorkshire constituency.
Witnesses quoted by British media said Cox and the man wrestled before he pulled out a gun and a knife. Others said Cox intervened in an altercation between two men before the shooting and stabbing occured.
Cox was taken to Leeds hospital and reports said she was fighting for her life.
The Stronger In, and Labour In For Britain and Vote Leave campaigns have suspended their campaigns for at least the day.
Prime minister David Cameron cancelled a campaign meeting in the British enclave of Gibraltar, in Spain, scheduled in the evening.
“It’s right that all campaigning has been stopped after the terrible attack on Jo Cox,” he posted on his Twitter account.
The Conservative MP and leader of the Leave campaign Boris Johnson spoke of “absolutely horrific news” and cancelled a visit to Ipswich.
Nigel Farage, the leader of the anti-EU Ukip party, said he was “horrified to hear of the attack”.
Jeremy Corbyn, the leader of Jo Cox’s Labour party, said he was “utterly shocked by the news of the attack”.
From St Petersburg, where he is attending an economic forum, European Commission president Jean-Claude Juncker said he “was deeply shocked by news of terrible attack against MP Jo Cox”.
The attack against Cox took place just a week before the 23 June EU referendum. Leave was ahead in the latest polls.
If political motivation related to the referendum is confirmed, the event coud weigh on voters’ minds.