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| Version 5 | Version 6 |
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| Menshn closes as founders fall out | Menshn closes as founders fall out |
| (4 months later) | |
| Former MP Louise Mensch's would-be rival to Twitter, the social network Menshn, has closed after she and co-founder Luke Bozier fell out. | Former MP Louise Mensch's would-be rival to Twitter, the social network Menshn, has closed after she and co-founder Luke Bozier fell out. |
| Bozier announced the move on his blog, saying that "Louise and I no longer have anything resembling a working relationship", and that "she no longer wishes to run a company in which I own shares". | Bozier announced the move on his blog, saying that "Louise and I no longer have anything resembling a working relationship", and that "she no longer wishes to run a company in which I own shares". |
| Mensch posted on the site that the site would remain up "for a little while so people can have the chance to exchange contracts". | Mensch posted on the site that the site would remain up "for a little while so people can have the chance to exchange contracts". |
| She added that she believed "the core idea" of "real debate in depth" was worthwhile. Bozier too said: "The idea – Twitter for topics – is a sound one and will be done very successfully by somebody else one day." | She added that she believed "the core idea" of "real debate in depth" was worthwhile. Bozier too said: "The idea – Twitter for topics – is a sound one and will be done very successfully by somebody else one day." |
| Mensch said that Bozier had told her that he would transfer his 50% ownership to a beneficiary, but that when he changed his mind she had no option but to wind up the company. "I cannot work with him," she tweeted. | Mensch said that Bozier had told her that he would transfer his 50% ownership to a beneficiary, but that when he changed his mind she had no option but to wind up the company. "I cannot work with him," she tweeted. |
| Menshn was launched amid great fanfare in June when Mensch was still the high-profile Tory MP for Corby. Its aim was to be a "Twitter for topics" – following Mensch's complaint that Twitter was too ineffective for people who wanted to have discussions about a subject, rather than with particular people. | Menshn was launched amid great fanfare in June when Mensch was still the high-profile Tory MP for Corby. Its aim was to be a "Twitter for topics" – following Mensch's complaint that Twitter was too ineffective for people who wanted to have discussions about a subject, rather than with particular people. |
| At the launch, Mensch, who has since resigned as an MP, said that the name of the site was not a play on her name: "It's a play on the word mention," she said. "We like it and think it will work fine on a chat site". She also said that she would probably look for venture-capital funding for the site because it had "fairly large" commercial applications. | At the launch, Mensch, who has since resigned as an MP, said that the name of the site was not a play on her name: "It's a play on the word mention," she said. "We like it and think it will work fine on a chat site". She also said that she would probably look for venture-capital funding for the site because it had "fairly large" commercial applications. |
| Bozier, a former e-campaigns manager for the Labour Party who defected to the Tories in 2012, expressed bitterness at Mensch's decision to end their business relationship. "I am forced to agree that we don't have a basis for a working relationship, and frankly no longer wish to hold shares in a company she runs," he wrote. | Bozier, a former e-campaigns manager for the Labour Party who defected to the Tories in 2012, expressed bitterness at Mensch's decision to end their business relationship. "I am forced to agree that we don't have a basis for a working relationship, and frankly no longer wish to hold shares in a company she runs," he wrote. |
| He said that "I had a great time building and launching menshn, despite the mountain-sized buckets of cyber-shit I got for my association with Louise. It was a great experience and some elements of the journey were really fun." | He said that "I had a great time building and launching menshn, despite the mountain-sized buckets of cyber-shit I got for my association with Louise. It was a great experience and some elements of the journey were really fun." |
| Bozier and Mensch met at the end of 2011, and registered the Menshn site and incorporated the company, Menschbozier in February 2012. Bozier resigned as a director on 17 January 2013, following his arrest and bailing by police in London on charges unrelated to the site. | Bozier and Mensch met at the end of 2011, and registered the Menshn site and incorporated the company, Menschbozier in February 2012. Bozier resigned as a director on 17 January 2013, following his arrest and bailing by police in London on charges unrelated to the site. |
| Menshn never grew large enough to become a serious threat to any of the large numbers of social networks on offer elsewhere. Mensch was its highest "points scorer" on the site's leaderboard, also appearing as "LouiseFB". | Menshn never grew large enough to become a serious threat to any of the large numbers of social networks on offer elsewhere. Mensch was its highest "points scorer" on the site's leaderboard, also appearing as "LouiseFB". |
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