Dewsbury MP Paula Sherriff says BNP circulating anti Muslim leaflets amid post-Brexit hate incident reports

The Yorkshire Post reports on revelations by Dewsbury and Mirfield MP Paula Sherriff about anti-Muslim leaflets circulating in West Yorkshire allegedly from the British National Party and accusing former MP for Batley and Spen, Jo Cox, of “misguided action” for helping Muslims.

Jo Cox was fatally shot and stabbed as she left a surgery meeting in her constituency on 16 June.

Ms Sherriff made the claims in a parliamentary debate in the Commons today about post-Brexit hate crimes that have been reported across the country. The MP for the West Yorkshire constituency said “Yesterday, people in my constituency received a leaflet from the BNP that said Jo Cox took misguided action by helping Muslims in the country who may now go on to join ISIS, alongside some other horrendous allegations”.

Ms Sherriff also told the House that she had received “a significant number” of communications from constituents about hate crime incidents in recent days. She mentioned the case of a seven year old Muslim girl and her family who faced offensive taunts, the expletives of which were not repeated in the House. The part of the message Ms Sherriff did read out was “best day ever – go home all of you”.

The MP reiterated her call for a cross party commission to consider race hate crimes.

Responding for the Government, Home Office minister Karen Bradley said she would like to meet to discuss “specific action to ensure such crimes are reported” but did not answer to the question about a cross party commission.