Loneliness commission established by murdered MP Jo Cox is wound up

Labour MP was in process of establishing organisation to combat isolation when she was killed

Jo Cox was in the process of setting up commission when she was murdered (Twitter/ Brendan Cox)

A commission on loneliness that was established by murdered MP Jo Cox before her death, has been wound up.

The organisation delivered a series of recommendations, backed by Prime Minister Theresa May, on how to tackle the isolation suffered by around nine million Britons.

Its work will now be continued through a parliamentary group led by Ms Cox’s friend and fellow Labour MP Rachel Reeves.

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The Jo Cox Loneliness Commission was set up by the MP for Batley and Spen before she was murdered by far-right terrorist Thomas Mair in 2016.

In January, the Prime Minister announced Tracey Crouch would become minister for loneliness on the back of the report.

The Tory MP met Cox’s sister Kim Leadbeater to discuss taking her work forward.

A spokesman for the Jo Cox Foundation said the commission had done the work it set out to achieve and had been a success.

It is understood the decision to wind it down was taken before Ms Cox’s widower Brendan stepped down from two charities after admitting inappropriate behaviour at a previous job.

The spokesman added: “The Jo Cox Loneliness Commission had the specific task of highlighting the challenge and proposing concrete steps for both government and the general public to do more to tackle the loneliness crisis.

“That part of the work is now done and was a great success. The Government accepted the recommendations and created the first minister for loneliness, Tracey Crouch.”