The man accused of the murder of Labour MP Jo Cox refused to enter a plea when he appeared at the Old Bailey.



A plea of not guilty was entered on behalf of Thomas Mair when he remained silent when asked whether he admitted or denied the offence.



Appearing by video link from Belmarsh prison in south London on Tuesday, Mair sat with arms crossed and remained silent when the murder charge and three other counts were put to him.



After asking Mair to confirm that he could hear the charges that were being put to him, the judge, Mr Justice Wilkie, directed that not guilty pleas be entered on his behalf.



Jo Cox was stabbed and shot on 16 June as she arrived at a surgery in her constituency. Photograph: Yui Mok/PA

Mair, 53, an unemployed gardener from Birstall, West Yorkshire, will stand trial next month accused of the murder of Cox, possession of a firearm and a dagger with intent to cause an offence, and grievous bodily harm to a passerby, Bernard Kenny.

A provisional four-week trial date has already been fixed for November 14. The judge adjourned the case for a further hearing on October 28.

Cox, 41, a mother of two children, was stabbed and shot on 16 June as she arrived at a surgery in Birstall, part of her Batley and Spen constituency.

A byelection is to be held on 20 October.

Members of Mrs Cox’s family gathered at the Old Bailey to see Mair in court. At the time of her death, she was described by Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn as “one of our very best”. She left a husband, Brendan, and two young children.



