Minister for Loneliness appointed in memory of Jo Cox MP

Tracey Crouch has been appointed as the first minister for loneliness, a position created in memory of Jo Cox.

Cox, who was murdered shortly before the EU referendum, worked to tackle loneliness during her time as an MP.

The new ministerial role was suggested by the Jo Cox commission, a body set up to continue the Labour MP’s work.

Read more: Jury delivers guilty verdict in Jo Cox murder trial

In a recent report, the commission wrote: “Loneliness affects people of all ages and from all backgrounds – from the school child who struggles to make friends, to the new parent coping alone, to the older person who has outlived her friends and immediate family.

“Feelings of loneliness affect us all at some point, but being lonely can become a serious problem when it becomes chronic – a day-to-day reality which, over time, can grind us down, affecting our health and wellbeing and damaging our ability to connect with others.”

Theresa May will host an event in Downing Street today to honour Cox and speak about the work of the commission, which is headed up by Labour’s Rachel Reeves and Conservative MP Seema Kennedy.

Brendan Cox, widower of Jo Cox, said she would be “over the moon” with the announcement, and wished Crouch luck in her role.

“Appointing a minister might not sound like much, but in tackling a complex crisis like loneliness that cuts across departments it will provide much-needed leadership and accountability,” he tweeted.

One of the awful things about losing Jo is knowing how much difference she would have made in the world. When the kids wake up this morning I’m going to tell them how – even though she’s not here – she’s still making the world a better place. https://t.co/qqe4lSjy5g— Brendan Cox (@MrBrendanCox) January 17, 2018