Proud to be made in Yorkshire: A white rose lies on Jo Cox's empty chair as MPs gather to pay tribute - video

Several MPs broke down in tears as Speaker John Bercow said the killing of the Labour MP - “in this manner, of this person, our democratically elected colleague” - was “particularly shocking and repugnant”.

A single white rose was placed in Mrs Cox’s usual place on the Labour benches while MPs of all sides wore the flower as a mark of respect.

Events worldwide mark day Jo Cox would have turned 42

Several of her Labour colleagues, including Heidi Alexander, Stephen Kinnock and Carolyn Harris, were in tears before Mr Bercow began the tributes.

Mrs Cox’s husband, two young children and family sat in the public gallery watching as the Prime Minister joined those paying tribute to Mrs Cox.

Three-year-old daughter Lejla sat on her father Brendan’s lap, while son Cuillin, five, snuggled up to his grandmother in the gallery overlooking the chamber of the Commons.

Also in the gallery were Mrs Cox’s parents Jean and Gordon and her sister Kim, who wiped away a tear and smiled as fellow Yorkshire MP Holly Lynch fondly recalled how her friend had quickly made her name in the Commons as an MP who was not easy to be whipped. With them were Mrs Cox’s close friend - and the best woman at her wedding - TV producer Sarah Hamilton, Brendan’s best man Will Paxton, and Mr Cox’s parents and sister.

Several MPs wept as Speaker John Bercow told them that the House was meeting in “heartbreaking sadness” and “heartfelt solidarity” to pay tribute to the Batley and Spen MP, who was elected only last year.

They took the unusual step of rising to give Mrs Cox a standing ovation as the hour-long tribute drew to an end. But a proposal for MPs of different parties to show solidarity by sitting alongside one another appeared to have won over few members, with a large majority remaining in their usual places.

As MPs, who all wore the white rose of Mrs Cox’s native Yorkshire, wiped away tears, David Cameron spoke of the sadness the country felt at the killing of the “loving, determined, passionate and progressive politician”.

He said: “We are here today to remember an extraordinary colleague and friend. Jo Cox was a voice of compassion whose irrepressible spirit and boundless energy lit up the lives of all who knew her, and saved the lives of many she never, ever met.

“Today we grieve her loss, and we hold in our hearts and prayers her husband Brendan, her parents and sister, and her two children who are just three and five years-old.

“We express our anger at the sickening and despicable attack that killed her as she did her job serving her constituents on the streets of Birstall.

“Let me join the leader of the Opposition in his moving words in praising Bernard Kenny and all those who tried to save her.

“But above all in this House we pay tribute to a loving, determined, passionate and progressive politician, who epitomised the best of humanity and who proved so often the power of politics to make our world a better place.”

Mr Cameron noted: “Quite simply, there are people on our planet today who are only here and alive because of Jo.

“Jo was a committed democrat and a passionate feminist. She spent years encouraging and supporting women around the world to stand for office long before she did so herself.

“When she herself was elected as an MP just over a year ago she said to one of her colleagues that she did not just want to be known for flying around the world tackling international issues but that she had a profound duty to stand up for the people of Batley and Spen.

“And she was absolutely as good as her word.

“As she said in her maiden speech, Jo was proud to be made in Yorkshire and to serve the area in which she had grown up.

“She belonged there and in a constituency of truly multi-ethnic, multi-faith communities, she made people feel they belonged too.”

Opening the recalled Commons session, Mr Bercow said: “Colleagues, we meet today in heartbreaking sadness but also in heartfelt solidarity.

“Any death in such awful circumstances is an outrage and a tragedy.

“Yet this death, in this manner, of this person, our democratically elected colleague Jo Cox, is particularly shocking and repugnant.

“All of us who came to know Jo during her all too short service in this House became swiftly aware of her outstanding qualities.

“She was caring, eloquent, principled and wise.

“Above all she was filled with and fuelled by love for humanity - devoted to her family and a relentless campaigner for equality, human rights and social justice.

“Jo was proud to be the member of Parliament for Batley and Spen, where she had her roots, and she was determined to live life to the full. She succeeded superbly.

“Jo was murdered in the course of her duty serving constituents in need.

“She fought for them, just as she fought for others at home and abroad who were victims of poverty, discrimination or injustice.

“An attack like this strikes not only at an individual but at our freedom.

“That is why we assemble here - both to honour Jo and to redouble our dedication to democracy.”

In total silence, Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn was called to speak.

He said: “Last Thursday, Jo Cox was doing what all of us do - representing and serving the people who elected her.

“We have lost one of our own and our society has lost one of our very best.

“She spent her life serving and campaigning for other people - whether as a worker for Oxfam or for the anti-slavery charity the Freedom Fund, as a political activist and as a feminist.

“The horrific act that took her from us was an attack on democracy, and our whole country has been shocked and saddened by it.

“But in the days since, the country has also learnt something of the extraordinary humanity and compassion which drove her political activism and beliefs.”

Mr Corbyn told the House Mrs Cox “believed in loving her neighbour’s neighbour” and thought that “every life counted equally”.

He said: “Her community and the whole country has been united in grief and united in rejecting the well of hatred that killed her in what increasingly appears to have been an act of extreme political violence.

“We are filled with sorrow for her husband Brendan and young children.

“They will never see her again but they can be so proud of everything she was, all she achieved and all she stood for as we are, as are her parents, as is her sister and her whole wider family.”

The Labour leader also paid tribute to the “heroes” who tried to save Mrs Cox before urging MPs to change the way politics is conducted in the UK.

He said: “We need a kinder and gentler politics. This is not a factional party political point.

“We all have a responsibility in this House and beyond not to whip up hatred or sow division.”

He added: “Today we remember Jo’s compassion and a passion to create a better world and in her honour we recommit ourselves to that task.”

After the House was adjourned, MPs processed across the road to St Margaret’s - often referred to as the House of Commons’ parish church - for a service of prayer and remembrance in Mrs Cox’s memory.

Following the tributes, Mr Cox tweeted: “Thank you to the whole House& staff for your kindness& compassion to our family today & for describing so well the Jo we love #MoreInCommon”.

Thomas Mair, 52, from Birstall, has appeared at the Old Bailey charged with murdering Mrs Cox, grievous bodily harm against Mr Kenny, possession of a firearm with intent to commit an indictable offence and possession of a knife.

Meanwhile, MPs are meeting police and parliamentary authorities to discuss their security.

Home Secretary Theresa May will co-chair the meeting, where representatives of the Metropolitan Police and Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority will answer questions from MPs.

A Whitehall source said the purpose of the session was to ensure that MPs were fully briefed on the security options available to them.

Constituency surgeries are routinely held without additional security arrangements by most MPs. Many of them advertise the sessions publicly and invite constituents to turn up without an appointment.