Londoners gathered at Cox’s houseboat in Wapping after news that she had died. Pic: Eir Nolsoe

Grieving Londoners were keen to pay their condolences to the family of Labour MP Jo Cox – shot and stabbed in Yorkshire on Thursday – as flowers and notes were left at the gates of their Wapping houseboat today.

The mother of two, who was killed in Birstall, West Yorkshire, lived on a barge in Hermitage Moorings near Tower Bridge when she was working in Westminster.

Fumi Kimura, 55, from Kennington, was one of the many who had come to remember Cox despite not knowing her personally. She said: “I was very shocked to hear of her death. She was shot. It sounds more like a thing that would happen in the U.S.

“She was relatively new in the House of Commons so I had not heard of her until yesterday, but I was very impressed with her achievements.”

The houseboat, which Cox had lived on with her husband Brendan and their two children age three and five, was covered in flowers. Many had also left bouquets and emotional messages by the gate to the jetty.

One message read: “We will miss you so, so much, Jo. Your light remains.”

Messages from people, remembering and mourning the loss of Cox. Pic: Eir Nolsoe

Cox had been an MP for Batley and Spen MP, where she was born and grew up, since May last year. She boasted a successful career as an ex-head of policy for Oxfam and as senior advisor to anti-slavery charity, the Freedom Fund.

Jeremy Corbyn, leader of the Labour party, said: “Jo died doing her public duty at the heart of our democracy, listening and representing the people was elected to serve.

“In the coming days, there will be questions to answer about how and why she died. But for now all our thoughts are with Jo’s husband Brendan and their two young children. The will grow up without their mum, but can be immensely proud of what she did, what she achieved and what she stood for.”

Pic: Eir Nolsoe