The Labour Member of Parliament Jo Cox was murdered in Birstall, in her constituency in West Yorkshire, on 16 June 2016.  Following her death white roses [Rosa cv.] – an emblem of Yorkshire – were worn in her memory.  According to The Times of 21 June: ‘Parliament was united yesterday.  United in grief, united in decoration, a white rose pinned to the chest of every politician in memory of this daughter of Yorkshire, taken before her time.’  A white rose and a red rose – the Labour party symbol – were attached to the seat in the House of Commons which Ms Cox usually occupied.

On Wednesday 22 June which would have been Ms Cox’s 42nd birthday,  a memorial gathering, addressed by her widower, was held in Trafalgar Square, London.  Some of the people attending this also wore or carried white roses, of a rather yellowish variety.

On Saturday 25 June the parliOUT contingent, representing LGBTIQ (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, intersex and questioning) people in the U.K. parliament, at the annual London Pride Parade wore similar roses.

Image:  remains of flowers left at a makeshift memorial to Jo Smith, Parliament Square, London, 20 July 2016.  Most of the flowers were cellophane-wrapped blossoms from supermarkets, there were also a few potted plants, mainly Kalanchoe blossfeldiana.  Thanks to Janet Rawlings for drawing our attention to this.

Updated 20 July 2016.