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Two brave police officers who tackled MP Jo Cox's murderer have been honoured with thunderous applause in the House of Commons.

PC Craig Nicholls and PC Jonathan Wright, of West Yorkshire Police, were given the rare honour after visiting Prime Minister's Questions today.

It is rare - and usually not allowed - for MPs to applaud in the historic chamber.

But an exception was allowed today for MPs, who were debating below a plaque bearing Ms Cox's name beside the Labour benches.

Commons Speaker John Bercow addressed the PCs directly.

(Image: Manchester Evening News)

(Image: PA) (Image: Reuters)

He said: "Gentleman, we honour your public service, we thank you for it and we offer you the warmest of welcomes here."

Prime Minister Theresa May honoured the PCs, adding: "When Jo Cox was killed this House lost one of its best."

And Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn said: "They did great work, as indeed police officers do all over the country."

Mother-of-two Mrs Cox, 41, was shot and stabbed by neo-Nazi Thomas Mair in her Batley and Spen constituency just days before the EU referendum .

The PCs were awarded the Queen's Gallantry Medal after chasing Mair on routine patrol, despite knowing he might still have a knife and a gun.

They decided "instinctively" to rush the suspect and arrested him - after which they found the knife and the gun.