Husband of slain MP Jo Cox says she died for her views

LONDON – The husband of slain British lawmaker Jo Cox says he believes she was killed because of her “strong political views.”

Brendan Cox says his wife was worried about the “coarsening” of politics.

Jo Cox, a Labour lawmaker who had championed the cause of Syrian refugees, was stabbed and shot to death outside a library in her constituency Thursday. The suspect gave his name in court as “death to traitors, freedom for Britain.”

Her death brought a shocked pause in campaigning for Britain’s EU referendum.

In a televised interview Tuesday, Brendan Cox said his wife “was very worried that the language was coarsening, that people were being driven to take more extreme positions.”

He said “she had very strong political views and I believe she was killed because of those views.”