UNITY, respect and common sense have been in short supply during the EU membership campaign.

It was pleasing therefore to see all of those qualities in abundance inside the House of Commons yesterday as MPs from all parties gathered to voice tributes in memory of the late Jo Cox.

She may have been an MP for just over a year but the member for Batley and Spen was afforded a level of respect usually reserved for parliamentary veterans.

After the rancour of recent weeks it was startling to hear our elected representatives speaking in harmony. It was clear that no one had a bad word to say about the MP and mother who should have been preparing to celebrate her 42nd birthday tomorrow (WEDNESDAY).

Prime Minister David Cameron, wearing the White Rose of Yorkshire in his button hole, described Mrs Cox as: "an extraordinary colleague and friend".

Amid all of the nice, and no doubt heartfelt comments made yesterday, perhaps the most telling one came from the Welsh MP Stephen Doughty who noted that Mrs Cox "was never satisfied with platitudes. She wanted action.”

It is sad that it took a tragedy which shocked the nation to turn the House of Commons into the dignified and respectful place it should be always. Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn called for “a kinder and gentler politics”. That is perhaps asking too much of a democratic system which thrives on rambunctious debate and point-scoring but MPs should heed a growing public appetite for more dignified behaviour from politicians

Praising Mr Cox to the rafters for an emergency session is one thing but her memory will be truly honoured if her tragic death helps to change the way MPs settle their differences.