The head of a neo-Nazi terror group has been charged with encouragement to commit murder relating to Labour MP Rosie Cooper. 

Christopher Lythgoe, was arrested as part of a probe into banned extreme right-wing groupNational Action, Greater Manchester Police said.

In a statement to HuffPost UK, Cooper, who is MP for West Lancashire, said: “I would like to thank everyone involved in this case, especially the counter-terrorism police for keeping me, my staff and the public safe. 

“There remains an ongoing criminal investigation so it would not be appropriate for me to comment further.” 

Lythgoe, of Greymist Avenue, Woolston, Garron Helm of Gladstone Road, Seaforth, Matthew Hankinson of Market Street, Newton-Le-Willows, Andrew Clark of Marsh House Lane, Paddington and Michal Trubini of Dutton Court, Warrington, were also charged with belonging to a proscribed organisation contrary to section 11 of the Terrorism Act 2000. 

A further man aged 22 – who cannot be named for legal reasons – was charged with the same offence as well as the intention of committing acts of terrorism contrary to section 5 of the Terrorism Act 2006 and threats to kill. 

All of the men are due to appear at Westminster Magistrates’ Court on Friday 27 October. 

National Action, which championed the killer of Labour MP Jo Cox, became the first extreme right-wing group to be banned under terrorism laws in December 2016. 

In the official list of proscribed groups, National Action is described as a “racist neo-Nazi group” that was established in 2013. It is also banned from operating as Scottish Dawn or NS131, which have been identified as alternative names the group has used, the Home Office said. 

The group is “virulently racist, anti-Semitic and homophobic” and its activities and propaganda materials are particularly aimed at recruiting young people, according to the document.