RACHEL Johnson has said the language her brother used in the House of Commons in heated exchanges over Brexit was "tasteless".

The journalist said it was wrong to say that the best way to honour the memory of MP Jo Cox, was to deliver Brexit.

Ms Cox, the Labour MP for Batley and Spen and Remain campaigner was killed by a man with far-right sympathies during the run-up to the EU referendum in June 2016.

She was 41 when she was killed and left behind a husband and two children.

Her murder was the first killing of an MP in more than 25 years. The man who killed her was Thomas Mair, who was 52 at the time.

He shot and repeatedly stabbed her, shouting: ‘Britain first’. He was given a life sentence for the crime.

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MPs have condemned the PM's language and urged him to apologise.

The prime minister's sister, a former candidate for The Independent Group for Change, was sharing her views on The Pledge programme on Sky News as the House of Commons Speaker called on MPs to "treat each other as opponents not as enemies" following angry exchanges over Brexit.

Boris Johnson rejected MPs pleas to moderate his "inflamamatory" dialogue as he was also criticised for calling the law aimed at blocking a no-deal Brexit the "surrender bill".

Pointing to a plaque in the chamber commemorating Ms Cox, Labour MP Paula Sherriff called on Mr Johnon not to resort to use "offensive, dangerous or inflammatory language for legislation that we do not like".

"They often quote his words 'Surrender Act', 'betrayal', 'traitor' and I for one am sick of it," said Ms Sherriff, who said MPs had faced death threats from people using similar language.

In response, Mr Johnson said: "I have to say, Mr Speaker, I've never heard such humbug in all my life."

He told Labour’s Tracy Brabin, who was elected to Cox’s seat following the MP’s murder by a far-right extremist a week before the EU referendum, that “the best way to honour the memory of Jo Cox and to bring this country together is, I think, to get Brexit done”.

He also came under fire for claiming in a challenge over his language by Labour MP Peter Kyle: "Believe me: the best way to ensure that every parliamentarian is properly safe and to dial down the current anxiety in this country is to get Brexit done. I hope that he will support us."

The Herald: Jo Cox, Labour MP for Batley and Spen.

Jo Cox

Mr Johnson's sister said: "I think it was particularly tasteless for those who are grieving, a mother, an MP and a friend, to say that the best way to honour her memory is to deliver the thing that she and her family campaigned against, which is Brexit.

"I think it was a very tastless way of referring to the memory of a murdered MP. Murdered by someone who said 'Britain First', who is obviously of the far right tendency, which you could argue is being whipped up by this sort of language.

"My brother is using words like 'surrender' and 'capitulation' as if the people standing in the way of the blessed will of the people, as defined by the 17.4 million votes in 2016, should be hung, drawn, quartered, tarred, and feathered.

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"I think that is highly reprehensible language to use.

"I hope today in the Commons there will be some sort of deal on all sides that this sort of thing is utterly dialled down."

Responding to MPs, minister Kevin Foster said the government was working to ensure MPs "feel safe", especially online.

A No 10 spokesman had earlier said: "The PM obviously made the broader point last night that he believes we need to get the issue of Brexit resolved because it was causing anxiety and ill-feeling in the country."

He added that, whatever their views, politicians and those in public life "shouldn't face threats or intimidation... it's completely unacceptable".

Boris Johnson’s brother three week ago dramatically quit the government – and parliament – in an apparent protest at the prime minister’s leadership.

Jo Johnson, a higher education minister, said it was impossible to reconcile “family loyalty and the national interest”, adding: “It’s an unresolvable tension and time for others to take on my roles as MP and minister #overandout.”