British Prime Minister Theresa May on Wednesday appointed a minister to lead a group to tackle the problem of loneliness in the country, in honour of murdered lawmaker Jo Cox (pictured above), The Telegraph reported.

Tracey Crouch, the minister for sport and civil society, will take up the additional role of the minister for loneliness and lead the government’s work to tackle the problem.

Cox, who was shot and stabbed in Birstall in Northern England a week before the Brexit vote, was an advocate of fighting loneliness. The Jo Cox Loneliness Commission, which was set up to address the issue, had recommended that the United Kingdom have a minister responsible to come up with a strategy to combat loneliness – believed to affect nine million people in the UK.

“Jo Cox recognised the scale of loneliness across the country and dedicated herself to doing all she could to help those affected,” May said. “I am pleased that the government can build on her legacy with a ministerial lead for loneliness who will work with the commission, businesses and charities to shine a light on the issue.”