Lee Rigby was murdered a year ago in the street near Woolwich Barracks. Today there was a remembrance service in the barracks, attended by his mother and widow. Among the tributes paid was one by Keith Vaz, the Chair of the Home Affairs Select Committee – who praised the soldier’s family for their “utmost dignity and humility during an incomprehensibly difficult year”. 

I am so full of admiration for how Fusilier Rigby’s family have handled themselves. In particular how they led the fight against people making political hay  in his name, or using what happened as a catalyst for spreading hatred. They spoke out against the use by Britain First of “Remember Lee Rigby” on the ballot paper for the European Parliament elections and they understood that their words and deeds in the aftermath of his murder and the sentencing of his killers to life in jail held great responsibility in terms of their influence on others.

It is because of people like them that we can still remain a liberal, multicultural country – that understands that the behaviour of one or two members of a group doesn’t mean the whole group can be tarred. I don’t know if they will ever find peace, but I hope they understand that the way they have acted in their son’s and husband’s name would have made him very proud. I am in awe of them.