Melanie Ward

Melanie Ward

Labour — Cowdenbeath and Kirkcaldy

Speaking in the House of Commons on 16 June 2026

Debate

Cyber Security and Resilience (Network and Information Systems) Bill

Contribution

Madam Deputy Speaker, I hope you will not mind if I take a moment to reflect on the fact that today is the 10th anniversary of the murder of our dear friend Jo Cox. I was lucky to serve alongside Jo on the board of the Labour Women’s Network and we had done similar kinds of work previously. I often sit here in the Chamber and look at Jo’s shield and wonder what she would have made of the state of our politics, our country and our world today. I think about how much better we would be if she was still here to contribute. Jo’s most famous words matter so much today—that we “have far more in common than that which divides us.”—[Official Report, 03 June 2015; Vol. 596, c. 674-65.] As my hon. Friend the Member for Midlothian (Kirsty McNeill) said today, holding on to Jo’s words and keeping her spirit going matter always, but they matter even more when it is difficult to do that. I hope that Jo’s family and friends, and those closest to her, know how much she is missed and that we strive to carry her light forward with us.

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