I WAS privileged to be at the vigil for Jo Cox in Manchester on Friday evening — an emotional, moving and fitting tribute by some of her friends and colleagues — and have been thinking about the toxic atmosphere in which this appalling death took place.

This letter is neither pro nor anti-European Union, but is about language, which is powerful. Some campaigners, correspondents and, sadly, journalists have indulged, either inadvertently or deliberately, in language which has actively promoted division and hatred, sometimes repeated over and over again — the drip drip effect — Jonny Foreigner is to blame for all our problems, Muslims are terrorists, East Europeans are rapists and criminals — and then we are surprised when this toxic language turns into violence.

Emotions are running high, but can I please make a plea for everyone just to calm down and take responsibility for your words, and the impact they may have. When you read toxic, hate filled propaganda please see it for what it is, don't believe it, just ignore it. When you have toxic or hate filled thoughts. and we are all only human, see them for what they are and don't believe them, or speak or write them. I saw a moving speech from a Pastor Dave Bevers of the Grange Church in Ohio, talking of the Orlando murders, and speaking out against those Pastors and Christians who celebrated those murders as the wrath of God or the will of God, and am reminded of his final words 'speak better, people, speak better'.

David Charles Carter

Campbell Street

Farnworth