Chris Grayling visited Gravesend yesterday, despite a cross-party agreement to suspend referendum campaigning in memory of MP Jo Cox.

Mrs Cox died after she was shot and stabbed in front of her constituency surgery in Birstall, West Yorkshire, on Thursday.

Leader of the House of Commons Mr Grayling, a Brexit campaigner, joined Gravesham MP Adam Holloway at the Sikh Gurdwara temple off Saddington Street.

The visit was thought to have been cancelled as a mark of respect for 31-year-old Mrs Cox.

Tanmanjeet Dhesi, chairman of Gravesham Labour Party, said: “I personally saw Chris Grayling Saturday afternoon with the local Tory MP and other activists wearing Vote Leave T-shirts & badges, talking with local worshippers at Gravesend Gurdwara for at least an hour.

"This just shows a complete lack of respect for the murdered MP Jo Cox" - Tanmanjeet Dhesi

"It had been agreed by all sides to suspend campaigning until at least Sunday, when memorial services would be held across the country.

"This just shows a complete lack of respect for the murdered MP Jo Cox.”

Tina Brooker, a UKIP Gravesham representative, was also at the event. She said the campaigning ban only applied to major appearances, not low key events.

She said: “The low key events still went ahead, some remain stalls went out, which I thought was a bit disrespectful.

“We’ve been running a leave stall for 12 weeks which we didn’t put on yesterday.

“This was a low profile thing for very few people, just the main people where there, including Gravesham MP Adam Holloway.”

The Brexit campaign group earlier this week said it was suspending all major campaigning events, although low-level leafleting at local level was acceptable.

Mr Holloway and Mr Grayling have been contacted for a response.