Jo Cox's husband Brendan to publish memoir with Two Roads

Brendan Cox, the husband of the late Labour MP Jo Cox, is publishing a book about her life with Two Roads the day before the first anniversary of her death.

Jo Cox: More in Common will be a "moving and passionate" portrait of Jo Cox, who was murdered on 16th June last year in Birstall, West Yorkshire, outside her constituency surgery. Far-right terrorist Thomas Mair was jailed for the rest of his life for the murder last November.

Brendan Cox is donating all royalties from the book to the Jo Cox Foundation, an organisation supporting friends and family in continuing work tackling issues important to Jo, such as the plight of civilians in Syria and social isolation in the UK.

He said writing the book had been "extraordinarily hard", but explained "in an era of growing hatred and division I wanted to tell the story of someone who brought love and empathy to everyone she met".

Described as a "very personal" book, it will show Jo Cox as a mother, wife, sister, daughter and friend as well as activist and MP. It will contain thoughts from her diaries and memories from her husband, Brendan, and others who were close to her throughout her life. 

The title will explain the extent of Jo Cox's expertise in charity, policy and politics and look back at her childhood in Yorkshire – and how her early beliefs and values shaped her work as an MP. 

Brendan Cox will also talk about how he has coped since his wife's death and how he and those who knew her are keeping her memory and beliefs alive.

Lisa Highton, publisher at Two Roads, bought world rights from Karolina Sutton at Curtis Brown. The book will publish on 15th June in hardback (£16.99) and as an e-book.  

Brendan Cox said: “When I spoke in court during the trial I told the jury that having heard so much about the manner of Jo’s death, I wanted to tell them about her life. The objective of this book is the same. To tell people who didn’t know Jo who she really was. In an era of growing hatred and division I wanted to tell the story of someone who brought love and empathy to everyone she met.

"Writing the book has been extraordinarily hard. But it’s also been part of my grieving process. Coming to terms with what happened but also remembering the adventures and love of life that our relationship was built upon. Jo packed a lifetime of excitement into her 41 years and the book touches on some of the highlights.

"I also hope the book will raise money for the causes that Jo supported which is why I’m giving all my royalties to the foundation that we’ve set up to take forward Jo's passions.”

Highton said: “We’re immensely proud to be publishing this moving and inspiring memoir which gives us all the pleasure of getting to know Jo better and to be inspired and motivated by what she stood for.”

Serpent’s Tail revealed in December it is publishing a "literary investigation" of Cox's murder and the rise of extreme nationalism post-Brexit in Things That Divide Us by Kester Aspden.