Sky News has won the data journalism award at the Press Gazette’s Future of Media Awards for its Westminster Accounts project which was praised for having a “massive impact”.

An interactive database lets the reader search for information about the earnings and donations declared by any MP, political party, all-party parliamentary group, or donor since the last general election.

Sky News and Tortoise Media collected and analysed thousands of public records to create a record of financial interests in Westminster from December 2019 onwards.

The first-of-its-kind searchable database makes it easy for the public to examine the millions of pounds pouring into British politics.

Search for your MP using the Westminster Accounts tool

When the project went live in January, it revealed MPs had earned £17.1m on top of their salaries in this parliament, with about two-thirds of the money going to just 20 MPs.

Sky News found the majority of the extra earnings went to Tory politicians – a total of £15.2m – while Labour MPs earned an additional £1.2m. All MPs are paid a base salary of £86,584.

Head of ethics watchdog calls for limits on MPs’ second jobs

MPs vote in favour of new transparency rules for Commons issue groups

Westminster Accounts: Number 10 says MPs should ‘focus on serving constituencies’ after Sky News reveal second jobs earnings

The debate over second jobs dominated 2021 after former Tory MP Owen Paterson became embroiled in a lobbying scandal that eventually led to his resignation.

Read more:
Head of ethics watchdog calls for limits on MPs’ second jobs
MPs vote in favour of new transparency rules
No 10 says MPs should ‘focus on serving constituencies’

The judges said of the Westminster Accounts: “This was one of the seminal digital journalism stories of the last year which has had a massive impact and been widely followed up.

“It is impressively visualised and has prompted debate in the House of Commons.”

The Future Of Media Awards celebrate the best in digital journalism products and publishing innovation of the past year.

The Financial Times won in four categories: newsletter, podcast, digital storytelling and news media app.

Other winners of the 2023 awards included The Telegraph which won the award for news and current affairs website, Insider, Reach, The Times, and the Kyiv Independent.

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