Scram’s finances have come under significant pressure and the difficult decision has been made to close our doors for the time being from Monday 1st June 2020. Until the COVID-19 pandemic passes, we cannot envisage a situation where our finances get to where we need them to be.

Although this is sad news, it’s also a moment to reflect on just how much we achieved together since Scram launched in May 2019:

• Building a community of nearly 50,000 people.
• Raising hundreds of pounds to provide protective equipment and hand cream to care workers on the frontline of the coronavirus pandemic.
• Helping to kick far-right hate-mongers Britain First off Twitter, and also getting them and Tommy Robinson removed from video-sharing platform TikTok.
• Gathering 53,208 signatures on a petition to “save Erasmus” after it was revealed the programme could be at risk during the ongoing Brexit negotiations.
• Delivering an open letter signed by over 56,000 Scram supporters to officials in Brussels to let our friends in Europe know that Brexit is “not in our name”.
• Crowdfunding for a reporter during the 2019 election which meant the Scram team was able to publish hundreds of stories calling out fake news, promoting tactical voting and exposing hate amongst our would be MPs. A Tory candidate was investigated, and a Brexit Party candidate was forced to stand down, after Scram reports.
• Crowdfunding for Facebook ads to let people in Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab’s constituency know that they could unseat him if they voted tactically, which were seen by nearly 15,000 people.
• Photobombing the Supreme Court decision on proroguing parliament with a massive P45 for Boris Johnson.
• Piling pressure on the Electoral Commission to investigate the Brexit Party’s dodgy online fundraising. This came after Scram News revealed that a leading legal expert said there was a “strong argument” that the Brexit Party may have broken electoral law, and nearly a thousand messages were sent by Scram community members highlighting the problem.

Thank you to everyone who took action as part of the Scram community — we can’t tell you how much we’ve appreciated, and been inspired by, your support.

While the staff team is on furlough, the Scram board will take on planning for the future and the possibility of Scram News making a return one day. If you have any questions about Scram’s campaigning or our other work, please contact team@scramnews.com as this inbox is being monitored by Scram’s board.