Mike Gapes
@mikegapes.bsky.social
Internationalist. Retired. Joined Labour 1968. Left 2019 on kamikaze mission. Rejoined Labour 2023. 15 years Party HQ including head of International. MP for Ilford South 1992-2019. Hammers season ticket holder. Cricket at Lords. Blues and Jazz. Rotarian.
Reposted by Mike Gapes
Being seen as agents of Trump and Putin may not be best for Reform UK
A clear association with Trump and Putin is more likely to reduce support for national populism rather than increase it. It is likely to create a bigger gulf between hard core Trump and Putin supporters and the wider national community.
buff.ly/K9Ui7rG
buff.ly/K9Ui7rG
December 11, 2025 at 9:44 PM
Being seen as agents of Trump and Putin may not be best for Reform UK
Reposted by Mike Gapes
A little signal that Trump's powers to control his party through bullying are waning.
BREAKING:
The Indiana Senate just REJECTED the gerrymandered congressional map that Trump and his allies pressured Republicans to support.
The GOP-controlled chamber voted down the map, 31-19.
The Indiana Senate just REJECTED the gerrymandered congressional map that Trump and his allies pressured Republicans to support.
The GOP-controlled chamber voted down the map, 31-19.
December 11, 2025 at 9:45 PM
A little signal that Trump's powers to control his party through bullying are waning.
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December 11, 2025 at 8:48 PM
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Reposted by Mike Gapes
Great piece by my colleague Uma
Polanski’s snobbery exposes the Greens’ hollow populism - Labour’s Uma Kumaran
The Greens talk progress but Zack Polanski only delivers put-downs, says Labour MP for Stratford and Bow Uma Kumaran
www.standard.co.uk
December 10, 2025 at 4:14 PM
Great piece by my colleague Uma
Trots and Tankies for the Tories
The horseshoe theory of politics in action.
The horseshoe theory of politics in action.
Zarah Sultana voted with the Tories in every vote on the Employment Rights Bill last night.
That includes voting to keep the Lords' wrecking amendments on strike ballot thresholds and to keep the 2016 Trade Union Act's restrictions on unions' political funds.
That includes voting to keep the Lords' wrecking amendments on strike ballot thresholds and to keep the 2016 Trade Union Act's restrictions on unions' political funds.
December 9, 2025 at 9:57 PM
Trots and Tankies for the Tories
The horseshoe theory of politics in action.
The horseshoe theory of politics in action.
I applaud this message. I’m on my way home on a busy tube train. People opposite are chatting in Spanish. Two women wearing hijab. Man wearing a football shirt. Smiling shoppers. People of all colours. Everyone is friendly. Everyone is safe. That is our reality. Not Trumps lies.
December 9, 2025 at 9:30 PM
I applaud this message. I’m on my way home on a busy tube train. People opposite are chatting in Spanish. Two women wearing hijab. Man wearing a football shirt. Smiling shoppers. People of all colours. Everyone is friendly. Everyone is safe. That is our reality. Not Trumps lies.
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🟩🟩🟩🟩🟩. It says impressive. More like a fluke.
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🟩🟩🟩🟩🟩. It says impressive. More like a fluke.
December 7, 2025 at 8:48 PM
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🟩🟩🟩🟩🟩. It says impressive. More like a fluke.
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🟩🟩🟩🟩🟩. It says impressive. More like a fluke.
And when the USA hosts the Olympic Games in 2028’they must surely now give Trump a special Gold Medal - perhaps in a new sport category of lying bullying and cheating.
December 5, 2025 at 8:17 PM
And when the USA hosts the Olympic Games in 2028’they must surely now give Trump a special Gold Medal - perhaps in a new sport category of lying bullying and cheating.
Reposted by Mike Gapes
Confirmation that Trump is actively supporting far-right parties across Europe, peddling false narratives, and hoping to destroy the European Union
www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025...
www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025...
‘Cultivate resistance’: policy paper lays bare Trump support for Europe’s far right
Text signed by president seems to echo ‘great replacement’ theory, saying Europe faces ‘civilisational erasure’
www.theguardian.com
December 5, 2025 at 5:41 PM
Confirmation that Trump is actively supporting far-right parties across Europe, peddling false narratives, and hoping to destroy the European Union
www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025...
www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025...
Sickening grovelling by Infantino
and FIFA. What a nauseating spectacle.
and FIFA. What a nauseating spectacle.
December 5, 2025 at 5:38 PM
Sickening grovelling by Infantino
and FIFA. What a nauseating spectacle.
and FIFA. What a nauseating spectacle.
Vote Tory. Get Farage.
FT Exclusive: The Reform UK leader told donors he expects a deal or merger between his party and the Conservatives ahead of the next general election, suggesting he does not believe he can sweep to power alone. on.ft.com/44xlHi0
December 2, 2025 at 9:23 PM
Vote Tory. Get Farage.
Reposted by Mike Gapes
So much for all that bleating about being misled by the Treasury from the BBC's political editor Chris Mason .....
www.ft.com/content/48c2...
www.ft.com/content/48c2...
UK Politics: OBR says Reeves did not mislead public over Budget forecasts
Fiscal watchdog faces Treasury committee after accidental publication of key report prompted chair to resign
www.ft.com
December 2, 2025 at 12:19 PM
So much for all that bleating about being misled by the Treasury from the BBC's political editor Chris Mason .....
www.ft.com/content/48c2...
www.ft.com/content/48c2...
Reposted by Mike Gapes
Chris Mason seems to be taking his time doing the BBC News blog about how we weren't misled by the Chancellor after all? Surely this is his time for a huge splash.
December 2, 2025 at 12:53 PM
Chris Mason seems to be taking his time doing the BBC News blog about how we weren't misled by the Chancellor after all? Surely this is his time for a huge splash.
Reposted by Mike Gapes
according to their rules, should Mason et al now all resign
So much for all that bleating about being misled by the Treasury from the BBC's political editor Chris Mason .....
www.ft.com/content/48c2...
www.ft.com/content/48c2...
UK Politics: OBR says Reeves did not mislead public over Budget forecasts
Fiscal watchdog faces Treasury committee after accidental publication of key report prompted chair to resign
www.ft.com
December 2, 2025 at 12:30 PM
according to their rules, should Mason et al now all resign
Reposted by Mike Gapes
Keir Starmer Slams 'Wild Promises' Made By Brexiteers In Outspoken Attack
He also took aim at those who want the UK to quit the ECHR and/or Nato (hello N Farage and Z Polanski)
www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/entry/keir-s...
He also took aim at those who want the UK to quit the ECHR and/or Nato (hello N Farage and Z Polanski)
www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/entry/keir-s...
Keir Starmer Slams 'Wild Promises' Made By Brexiteers In Outspoken Attack
The prime minister also took aim at those who now want the UK to leave Nato and the European Convention on Human Rights.
www.huffingtonpost.co.uk
December 1, 2025 at 10:33 PM
Keir Starmer Slams 'Wild Promises' Made By Brexiteers In Outspoken Attack
He also took aim at those who want the UK to quit the ECHR and/or Nato (hello N Farage and Z Polanski)
www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/entry/keir-s...
He also took aim at those who want the UK to quit the ECHR and/or Nato (hello N Farage and Z Polanski)
www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/entry/keir-s...
Reposted by Mike Gapes
Watched BBC 6 o clock news. Just a completely unserious broadcast. Chris Mason, acting like a children's entertainer, giving a prolonged impenetrable editorial. Not a whiff of informative content about the Budget or what it means for the country. Just playschool blah blah bollocks.
December 1, 2025 at 6:28 PM
Watched BBC 6 o clock news. Just a completely unserious broadcast. Chris Mason, acting like a children's entertainer, giving a prolonged impenetrable editorial. Not a whiff of informative content about the Budget or what it means for the country. Just playschool blah blah bollocks.
Reform is now clearly the Dustbin for rejected former Right wing Conservative MPs. How long before Liz Truss joins them ?
December 1, 2025 at 2:04 PM
Reform is now clearly the Dustbin for rejected former Right wing Conservative MPs. How long before Liz Truss joins them ?
Reposted by Mike Gapes
Indeed. This is not the BBC's job and to make it worse, in the same piece, Chris Mason again lurches into opinion and gives government carte blanche when he absolutely should not have!
No that's not *your* on *our behalf*. Your job is to report the story, presenting all sides fairly and then *we* call it. What Mason is saying here is fundamentally not what the bbc is for!
www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
December 1, 2025 at 11:44 AM
Indeed. This is not the BBC's job and to make it worse, in the same piece, Chris Mason again lurches into opinion and gives government carte blanche when he absolutely should not have!
The modern equivalent of Lord Haw Haw.
Why is @BBCradio4 advertising some nutter flogging visas to Russia and attacking the UK?
December 1, 2025 at 1:53 PM
The modern equivalent of Lord Haw Haw.
Reposted by Mike Gapes
Honestly the completely weird Budget coverage is mostly a sign of how pretty much any attack can stick when you’re unpopular enough.
Of course Rachel Reeves didn’t brief the full Cabinet on Budget details weeks in advance! No chancellor ever does! It would immediately leak!
Of course Rachel Reeves didn’t brief the full Cabinet on Budget details weeks in advance! No chancellor ever does! It would immediately leak!
December 1, 2025 at 8:54 AM
Honestly the completely weird Budget coverage is mostly a sign of how pretty much any attack can stick when you’re unpopular enough.
Of course Rachel Reeves didn’t brief the full Cabinet on Budget details weeks in advance! No chancellor ever does! It would immediately leak!
Of course Rachel Reeves didn’t brief the full Cabinet on Budget details weeks in advance! No chancellor ever does! It would immediately leak!
Reposted by Mike Gapes
Feel like I'm going mad. The Budget's 'headroom' is based on frankly irresponsible and wildly optimistic claims about what Labour will do in the final year of the forecast, and on ignoring a bunch of upward pressures on spending, and the claim is that she was being exaggeratedly *pessimistic*?
Suggestion Rachel Reeves exaggerated fiscal pressures is absurd
Chancellor was instead far too optimistic about public finances and government’s ability to secure cuts
www.ft.com
December 1, 2025 at 11:05 AM
Feel like I'm going mad. The Budget's 'headroom' is based on frankly irresponsible and wildly optimistic claims about what Labour will do in the final year of the forecast, and on ignoring a bunch of upward pressures on spending, and the claim is that she was being exaggeratedly *pessimistic*?
Reposted by Mike Gapes
Lucy White's overt racism - she wants Nus Ghsni banned from the Commons (birthplace), and Rishi Sunak, Priti Patel & Shabana Mahmood banned from office - may have finally gone too far for TalkTV. The GB News response is disingenuous.
www.theguardian.com/media/2025/n...
www.theguardian.com/media/2025/n...
GB News urged to cut ties with contributor accused of racism
Rightwing activist claimed Commons deputy speaker Nusrat Ghani should be barred because she was born in Pakistan
www.theguardian.com
November 30, 2025 at 9:23 PM
Lucy White's overt racism - she wants Nus Ghsni banned from the Commons (birthplace), and Rishi Sunak, Priti Patel & Shabana Mahmood banned from office - may have finally gone too far for TalkTV. The GB News response is disingenuous.
www.theguardian.com/media/2025/n...
www.theguardian.com/media/2025/n...
Reposted by Mike Gapes
'We have historically high welfare spending.' No we don't.
'We have a historically high proportion of working-age people not actually working.' No we don't.
'The number of Britons emigrating is skyrocketing.' No it isn't.
'We have a historically high proportion of working-age people not actually working.' No we don't.
'The number of Britons emigrating is skyrocketing.' No it isn't.
November 29, 2025 at 5:08 PM
'We have historically high welfare spending.' No we don't.
'We have a historically high proportion of working-age people not actually working.' No we don't.
'The number of Britons emigrating is skyrocketing.' No it isn't.
'We have a historically high proportion of working-age people not actually working.' No we don't.
'The number of Britons emigrating is skyrocketing.' No it isn't.
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November 30, 2025 at 8:33 PM
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Ten years ago this weekend I suffered a ruptured thoracic aneurysm . And the National Health Service saved my life. Thank you NHS. www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article...
Labour MP reveals how his life was saved by the 'seven day' NHS
Mike Gapes made his first speech in Parliament since being taken ill and recounted how he was wheeled straight into surgery and his life-saving operation began before the anaesthetic kicked in.
www.dailymail.co.uk
November 29, 2025 at 10:56 PM
Ten years ago this weekend I suffered a ruptured thoracic aneurysm . And the National Health Service saved my life. Thank you NHS. www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article...