Conservative candidate removes footage of Jo Cox from campaign video after family raise concerns

A short clip of the former Batley and Spen MP featured in Penny Mordaunt’s campaign montage when it was revealed over the weekend.

The footage of Labour MP Ms Cox in the House of Commons was originally featured after a voice over said that the “Conservatives do not have a monopoly on good people and good ideas”.

The original footage is still able to view on Twitter, but on Tuesday morning, the video playing on Ms Mordaunt’s campaign website - PM4PM - did not contain Ms Cox.

Her image has now been replaced with footage of what appears to be an architect's hands completing a drawing.

It is understood the removal followed concerns being raised by Ms Cox's family.

This is the second time the video appears to have been edited, with footage of Paralympic athlete Johnnie Peacock and England cricketer Johnny Bairstow removed on Sunday.

In the second version of the video - posted to Twitter on Sunday afternoon - Mr Peacock and Mr Bairstow no longer feature, but the footage of Ms Cox was still visible.

The constituency of Batley and Spen is now represented by Ms Cox’s sister, Kim Leadbeater.

When approached by the Yorkshire Post, Labour MP Ms Leadbeater’s office confirmed that Ms Cox’s family didn’t think it was appropriate for her to appear in a Conservative leadership campaign video and those views were passed on to Penny Mordaunt.

They said they were pleased to see that the video has now been edited.

Ms Mordaunt’s team did not immediately respond to a request for comment.