Theresa May has appointed a "minister for loneliness" as part of the legacy of the murdered Labour MP Jo Cox.

Tracey Crouch, the Minister for Sport and Civil Society, will fill the newly-created role of ministerial lead on loneliness to head up the Government’s work to tackle a problem that is believed to affect nine million people in the UK.

Ahead of a Downing Street reception today to celebrate the life and legacy of Mrs Cox, Mrs May said she was keen to “shine a light” on the issue of loneliness.

The Jo Cox Loneliness Commission, set up to tackle one of the issues the late MP cared most passionately about, recommended that the Government make a minister responsible for a national strategy to combat loneliness.