ANDREW Smith has insisted fear should not stop politicians doing their job despite the MP for Oxford East receiving death threats himself.

His comments come after Labour MP for Batley and Spen Jo Cox, 41, was shot and stabbed while holding her weekly advice surgery in her constituency on Thursday.

The mother-of-two died on the same day.

Mr Smith said he had never felt unsafe in his job but revealed someone threatened to kill him in 2003.

He added: "He went to prison for it, but before he went to prison he escaped from police custody in London.

"Me and my wife Val had police protection for days.

"But you can't let this hang over you or worry you or deflect you from your job."

Philip Ward, whose real name is Ian Clough, telephoned BBC Radio Oxford presenter Bill Heine in 2003 and said "Andrew Smith is a dead man — I am going to kill him then kill myself".

A court heard Ward, 45, of Bank Street, Blackpool, held the MP responsible for cutting his disability benefits. The month before he left an answerphone message at Mr Smith's home threatening to beat him up if the MP did not deal with his benefit complaints.

Ward, who had an untreatable paranoid personality disorder, received 18 months in jail.

Mr Smith said MPs, or anyone else who worked with the public, should not let such a "terribly horrific" incident such as the death of Jo Cox affect their working life.

He said: "I have a picture of the person [Ward] above my desk in case I bump into him.

"It would be so dreadful if the fear of really horrific events led to people being denied access to their MPs."

MP for Henley John Howell also said he had received threats in the past, which led to him asking the police for protection.

But MP for Oxford West and Abingdon Nicola Blackwood said personally she had never felt unsafe doing her job.

More tributes from across Oxfordshire poured in yesterday for Ms Cox, who spent several years working for Oxford-based charity Oxfam.

Dr Ramzy, chairman of the Oxford Islamic Information Centre said on behalf of the local Muslim community: "Our heart goes to Jo’s family.

"She was a great MP, a lovely wife, caring mother, and woman of integrity.

The flags at the office of West Oxfordshire District Council and Oxford Town Hall were yesterday flying at half-mast in memory of both MP Jo Cox and all those killed and injured in the Orlando shooting.

A vigil will also be held tonight at 8pm in Cornmarket Street, Oxford for Jo Cox. Organised by Oxford University Labour Group, all are welcome to attend, while a book of condolences will be open at the reception area of Oxford Town Hall.

Parliament is to be recalled on Monday to allow MPs to pay tribute to the mother of two, while the Conservative Party confirmed in would not contest the by-election in Batley and Spen following the Labour politician's brutal death.

David Cameron issued a plea for tolerance in British political life as he joined Jeremy Corbyn and John Bercow to pay tribute to Mrs Cox where she was killed.

The sombre-faced Prime Minister, Labour leader and Commons Speaker bowed their heads as they laid bouquets at the foot of Birstall's Joseph Priestley memorial, adding to the impromptu shrine of flowers and messages which has grown up over the past day.

An EU debate, which had been organised for tonight at the Wantage and District Chamber of Commerce has been cancelled due to "the tragic murder" of Jo Cox MP.

A spokesperson for the Chamber of Commerce said: "As a fellow MP and friend of Ed Vaizey we have decided that out of respect it would be inappropriate for the debate to go ahead."