Barack Obama offers condolences to husband of slain British MP: White House

Washington: US President Barack Obama on Friday spoke by phone with Brendan Cox, the husband of slain British Member of Parliament Jo Cox, the White House said.

Obama, who is touring some Western US national parks with his family, offered his sincere condolences to Cox on behalf of the American people during a phone call from Air Force One, the White House said.

Jo Cox, a lawmaker for the opposition Labour Party and a vocal advocate of Britain's European Union (EU) membership, died on Thursday after she was shot and stabbed repeatedly by a man who witnesses said shouted "Britain first".

West Yorkshire regional police said a 52-year-old man was arrested by officers nearby and weapons including a firearm recovered. "We are not in a position to discuss any motive at this time," said Temporary Chief Constable Dee Collins.

One witness said a man pulled an old or makeshift gun from a bag and fired twice. "I saw a lady on the floor like on the beach with her arms straight and her knees up and blood all over the face," Hichem Ben-Abdallah told reporters. "She wasn't making any noise, but clearly she was in agony."

The lawmaker's husband Brendan said: "She would have wanted two things above all else to happen now: one, that our precious children are bathed in love and two, that we all unite to fight against the hatred that killed her."