In an occasional series, Professor Philip Cowley, of Queen Mary University of London, offers a political science lesson for The House’s readers. Here: can individual MPs do much to buck wider electoral trends? He writes: “There is plenty of evidence that MPs are increasingly willing to break ranks and defy their party managers. British voters say they prefer MPs who demonstrate independence and who are willing to deviate from the party line. Yet they then don’t reward them.” PoliticsHome