THE horribly divisive EU referendum debate has brought out the worst in a lot of people but nothing could have prepared us for what happened today.

A campaign that has been led by self-obsessed, power-hungry men has now been suspended following the death of a principled woman.

The senseless killing of Jo Cox - MP, proud Yorkshire lass, and mam of two young children - raises serious issues which make the tedious jousting of the IN and OUT campaigns sound trivial.

It has rekindled long-standing concerns about violence against women, and prompted new questions about things that we take for granted, such as can the unguarded way in which MPs conduct their daily business continue and is the new brand of aggressive anti-politics a threat to our democracy?

It is right and proper that the referendum debate is halted for the time being. The unseemly cat calling must stop and our politicians should instead show some dignity and follow the example of a woman who used her maiden speech in the House of Commons to celebrate the positive impact immigration has on modern Britain.

“We are far more united and have far more in common with each other than things that divide us,” the recently-elected member for Batley and Spen said in May last year.

This afternoon, her husband Brendan issued a beautiful, brave and open-hearted tribute which urged us all “to fight against the hate that killed Jo.”

These are the sentiments of people who are trying to make the world a better place.

We live in an age, however, where radicals are on the rise and the whipping-up of hatred and division has become part of mainstream politics. Reasoned debate is being replaced by rhetoric, bullying and an environment where people feel free to spout their opinions without fear of consequence.

If the EU campaign has left you confused about which side you are on then the death of Jo Cox should leave you in no doubt about where you stand on the things that really matter.

The Northern Echo will continue to stand for a Britain that values debate, democracy, and diversity.

In memory of his wife we will stand together with Brendan Cox in the fight against hatred.