By Tom Connell
A COUNCILLOR has called on Yorkshire people to support a charity single in memory of murdered MP Jo Cox.
Coun Mahmood Akhtar, who represents Batley East, said he is thankful for the work Mrs Cox did for his ward. He is now keen to see the single, which has been released today, make it all the way to the top of the charts.
He said: “She was such a great person and she has done so much for Batley and Spen as a community.
“It’s fantastic to see people raising so much money, people should support the single however they can.”
Musicians including Kaiser Chiefs’ Ricky Wilson, Cockney Rebel’s Steve Harley and KT Tunstall have teamed up under the name ‘Friends of Jo Cox’ to record a cover of The Rolling Stones’ You Can’t Always Get What You Want, in a tribute to the Leeds MP.
The single has also been backed by PM Theresa May and will be in the race to become this year’s Christmas number one.
Money raised through sales of the single will go towards the launch of the Jo Cox Foundation established after her death.
Mrs May addressed the House of Commons on Wednesday saying: “We all recognise that Jo Cox was a very fine member of this House.
“The Chancellor of the Exchequer is waiving the VAT on this single. Everybody involved gave their services for free. Once again let’s just encourage everyone to download this single.”
And Rolling Stones Mick Jagger and Keith Richards announced yesterday that they will waive their royalties from the sales of the charity single.
Since her death friends and family attempted to raise funds to ‘invest in creating the fairer, kinder and more tolerant work Jo fought for.’ They have raised almost two million pounds in six months on a Go Fund Me page.