Website that watched MPs' votes to close
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.A website dedicated to keeping a close eye on backbench rebellions in the Commons is to close after it was refused further funding.
Revolts.co.uk had been a key tool in monitoring discipline within parliament, revealing that Gordon Brown presided over more backbench rebellions in his first year as Prime Minister than Tony Blair had suffered in the entirety of his first four-year term. The site, originally set up to study the 1997 intake of MPs, had been funded by the Economic and Social Research Council to carry on its work from 2001. But the ESRC turned down two grant applications to carry on the research.
"All the people involved in this project would like to carry on, but without funding, it's difficult to do projects like this," its founders, from the universities of Nottingham and Hull, said in statement on the site.
The founders had argued that Britain's first coalition Government since the Second World War made the monitoring of parliament even more important.
The refusal to provide finance also baffled the academics involved as the site, used by MPs and journalists, was described as "probably the best disseminated project in ESRC history".
Its research revealed that Labour MPs rebelled on more than a third of Commons votes during the 2009/10 parliamentary session.
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments