The sister of an MP murdered by a far-right terrorist has told Sky News that Boris Johnson was wrong to tell MPs they should honour her sister’s memory by delivering Brexit.
Jo Cox was shot and stabbed a week before the 2016 EU referendum.
The prime minister has been heavily criticised for saying the “best way” to honour Ms Cox was to “get Brexit done”.
But a former Conservative leader defended Mr Johnson and accused Labour of being hypocrites.
The row comes after fractious scenes in the Commons, when Mr Johnson hit out at MPs for “sabotaging” Brexit in his first appearance since a Supreme Court judgment ruled his suspension of parliament was unlawful.
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He accused them of passing a “surrender act”, a reference to legislation which compels the PM to ask for a further delay to Britain’s EU exit.
Labour MP Paula Sheriff called on Mr Johnson to curb his “violent” and “inflammatory” language.
“I’ve never heard such humbug in all my life,” the PM replied.
Kim Leadbeater, sister of Mrs Cox, said she was “mesmerised and dumbstruck” as she watched proceedings in the Commons on Wednesday.
“I think he probably got it wrong,” she said.
“I think the humbug comment was wrong and I think to use Jo’s name in that way was wrong.
“What I hope is that he has some time to reflect on that and think about it.”
But Ms Leadbeater said she did agree with Mr Johnson that “people want an end to this chaos”.
She added that she accepted it was a heated debate and that sometimes people make mistakes.
“I hope he has some time to reflect on what he said and realise that possibly it wasn’t the best thing to say under those circumstances,” Ms Leadbeater added.
Mrs Cox’s widower, Brendan Cox, said he felt “a bit sick” at the way her name was being used.
He wrote on Twitter: “The best way to honour Jo is for all of us (no matter our views) to stand up for what we believe in, passionately and with determination.
“But never to demonise the other side and always hold on to what we have in common.”
Ms Sheriff told Sky News she made “no apology” for raising Ms Cox’s death.
“What we saw yesterday was our prime minister, the leader of our country, respond to an MP who spoke about death threats and abuse by saying ‘humbug’,” she said.
“His ambivalence at best, or his sheer arrogance, was something that was quite horrific to see.”
Ms Sheriff added: “The man is horrific, he is absolutely unfit to be our prime minister.”
Addressing MPs in the Commons on Thursday, Speaker John Bercow pleaded with politicians on all sides to tackle the “toxic” political culture.
“There was an atmosphere in the chamber worse than any I’ve known in my 22 years in the House,” he said.
“On both sides passions were inflamed, angry words uttered, the culture was toxic.”
Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn said the PM’s language was “nothing short of disgraceful”, adding: “To dismiss concerns from members about the death threats they receive and to dismiss concerns that the language by the prime minister is being repeated in those death threats is reprehensible.
“To dismiss those concerns in an abusive way as he did is completely unacceptable.”
But former Tory leader Iain Duncan Smith denied Mr Johnson was “whipping up anger” – and said Labour MPs were hypocrites.
“Honestly, I think this is the pot calling the kettle black,” he told Sky News.
“Last night I watched when Labour MPs lined up, they were shouting that he was a ‘liar’, he was a ‘cheat’, all this stuff at the same time.”
And Tory MP Nigel Evans said: “The prime minister has come under some accusations from the Labour Party, but don’t forget it was they that brought Jo Cox into the debate in the first place.
“The prime minister was referred to as a ‘cheat’ and ‘corrupt’ by members of the opposition yesterday and it was quite right that he hit back.”
Speaking at a regular briefing with journalists, the prime minister’s official spokesman said: “The PM obviously made the broader point last night that he believes we need to get the issue of Brexit resolved because it was causing anxiety and ill-feeling in the country.”
Asked if Mr Johnson’s comments risked fuelling a bad reaction, the spokesman replied: “The PM is very clear that whatever their views no MPs or anyone else in public life should face threats or intimidation. It’s completely unacceptable.”
