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.
Pinned
Reposted by Mike Gapes
Reposted by Mike Gapes
Really is amazing how many Reform and UKIP elected officials have been arrested over years. So unlucky.
September 15, 2026 at 4:09 PM
Really is amazing how many Reform and UKIP elected officials have been arrested over years. So unlucky.
Reposted by Mike Gapes
Count live - in Swedish resultat.val.se/val2026/RD?r=P
Valpresentation
resultat.val.se
September 13, 2026 at 7:41 PM
Count live - in Swedish resultat.val.se/val2026/RD?r=P
Reposted by Mike Gapes
Sweden’s left on course to retake power ft.trib.al/MKK9flF
Sweden’s left on course to retake power
Social Democrats poised for rare European victory in blow to far-right
ft.trib.al
September 13, 2026 at 7:48 PM
Sweden’s left on course to retake power ft.trib.al/MKK9flF
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September 13, 2026 at 7:58 PM
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Reposted by Mike Gapes
Hard right fails in Sweden 🇸🇪
September 13, 2026 at 6:19 PM
Hard right fails in Sweden 🇸🇪
Reposted by Mike Gapes
Former center-left Prime Minister Magdalena Andersson is on course to retake power in Sweden as exit polling suggests a right-wing alliance that includes the far right is falling short.
Sweden exit poll: Left on course for election win in blow to far right
Social Democrat leader Magdalena Andersson is heading for a comeback as prime minister in charge of a left-wing coalition, exit polling suggests.
www.politico.eu
September 13, 2026 at 6:23 PM
Former center-left Prime Minister Magdalena Andersson is on course to retake power in Sweden as exit polling suggests a right-wing alliance that includes the far right is falling short.
Reposted by Mike Gapes
Riddle me this. If somebody donates £36 million to a political party and £5 million to its leader, how is the £5 million not political? Asking for a parliamentary standards commissioner.
September 12, 2026 at 4:07 PM
Riddle me this. If somebody donates £36 million to a political party and £5 million to its leader, how is the £5 million not political? Asking for a parliamentary standards commissioner.
Reposted by Mike Gapes
The UK now needs to introduce political spending limits across a parliament, not just for election campaign years.
Otherwise, its election spending rules could fall over.
Current rules: parties have a limit (about £34m) for 12 months before an election - but no limits outside the 12 month period.
Otherwise, its election spending rules could fall over.
Current rules: parties have a limit (about £34m) for 12 months before an election - but no limits outside the 12 month period.
September 12, 2026 at 8:29 PM
The UK now needs to introduce political spending limits across a parliament, not just for election campaign years.
Otherwise, its election spending rules could fall over.
Current rules: parties have a limit (about £34m) for 12 months before an election - but no limits outside the 12 month period.
Otherwise, its election spending rules could fall over.
Current rules: parties have a limit (about £34m) for 12 months before an election - but no limits outside the 12 month period.
Reposted by Mike Gapes
Crypto billionaire Christopher Harborne has now matched Ben Delo's record-breaking £36m donation to Reform, months after Nigel Farage's party promised to slash crypto sales taxes in half
Reform UK is now a wholly owned subsidiary of the crypto industry
www.adambienkov.co.uk/p/reform-uk-...
Reform UK is now a wholly owned subsidiary of the crypto industry
www.adambienkov.co.uk/p/reform-uk-...
Reform UK Is Now a Wholly-Owned Subsidiary of the Corrupt Crypto Industry
As criminal investigations into Reform’s funding continue, much of the British press continues to give a free pass to Nigel Farage’s shady funders
www.adambienkov.co.uk
September 12, 2026 at 1:46 PM
Crypto billionaire Christopher Harborne has now matched Ben Delo's record-breaking £36m donation to Reform, months after Nigel Farage's party promised to slash crypto sales taxes in half
Reform UK is now a wholly owned subsidiary of the crypto industry
www.adambienkov.co.uk/p/reform-uk-...
Reform UK is now a wholly owned subsidiary of the crypto industry
www.adambienkov.co.uk/p/reform-uk-...
Reposted by Mike Gapes
Coverage of the letter I wrote to the Electoral Commission about hospitality Nigel Farage received in Dubai which hasn’t been declared.
The Commission is now investigating.
The Commission is now investigating.
Farage accused of failing to declare donors from events in the Middle East
EXCLUSIVE: The Electoral Commission has confirmed it will look into hospitality heaped on Nigel Farage and senior party figures in Dubai last January by mega-rich supporters
www.mirror.co.uk
September 12, 2026 at 4:00 PM
Coverage of the letter I wrote to the Electoral Commission about hospitality Nigel Farage received in Dubai which hasn’t been declared.
The Commission is now investigating.
The Commission is now investigating.
Thank God we had the sane and competent and very helpful President Bill Clinton in the White House when we were negotiating the Belfast Good Friday Agreement in 1998.
September 12, 2026 at 4:18 PM
Thank God we had the sane and competent and very helpful President Bill Clinton in the White House when we were negotiating the Belfast Good Friday Agreement in 1998.
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September 11, 2026 at 9:31 PM
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Reposted by Mike Gapes
The RNLI is the best of us. Any Blackshorts who think volunteers saving lives at sea are somehow bad people is at best an sad idiot and a dupe. At worst …. (Suggestions welcome)
If your idea of patriotism is calling any member of the RNLI, an entirely voluntary organisation whose crews daily risk their lives to save others, a traitor, then you are beyond hope of redemption.
September 10, 2026 at 8:05 PM
The RNLI is the best of us. Any Blackshorts who think volunteers saving lives at sea are somehow bad people is at best an sad idiot and a dupe. At worst …. (Suggestions welcome)
Spot on.
I do find odd that we all apparently enjoy the right to enter a hotel uninvited, go to the guest floors, knock on the doors of complete strangers on the grounds that they are not white - and yet not commit any offence.
Group entered hotel of Pakistan cricketers mistaken for migrants
Protesters congregated at a Portsmouth hotel after false rumours that a coach of migrants had arrived.
www.bbc.co.uk
September 10, 2026 at 8:48 PM
Spot on.
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September 10, 2026 at 7:32 PM
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Reposted by Mike Gapes
Politico: "The latest Private Eye pulls various data together to suggest the Rachel Reeves agricultural inheritance tax changes might be having the intended impact: pushing tax-avoiders out of farmland and making it more affordable for real farmers." (Cont.)
September 9, 2026 at 6:25 PM
Politico: "The latest Private Eye pulls various data together to suggest the Rachel Reeves agricultural inheritance tax changes might be having the intended impact: pushing tax-avoiders out of farmland and making it more affordable for real farmers." (Cont.)
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September 9, 2026 at 8:58 PM
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Reposted by Mike Gapes
Labour party members have selected the council leader, Sagal Abdi-Wali, to be the party's candidate in the Holborn and St Pancras by-election, from a shortlist of three local councillors. She grew up in Camden, after coming to the UK as a young child refugee, over 35 years ago
September 9, 2026 at 8:03 PM
Labour party members have selected the council leader, Sagal Abdi-Wali, to be the party's candidate in the Holborn and St Pancras by-election, from a shortlist of three local councillors. She grew up in Camden, after coming to the UK as a young child refugee, over 35 years ago
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September 8, 2026 at 10:08 PM
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Reposted by Mike Gapes
England's young people performing esp well, putting UK in the top ten for maths, reading and science.
One driver of bucking trend is better integration: closing white/minority attainment gap for children of migrants, where west European countries lag
www.theguardian.com/education/20...
One driver of bucking trend is better integration: closing white/minority attainment gap for children of migrants, where west European countries lag
www.theguardian.com/education/20...
England’s teenagers outperform peers in most countries in maths, reading and science
OECD test sees results dip in almost all member nations and warns of ‘digital distractions’ eroding academic skills
www.theguardian.com
September 8, 2026 at 12:39 PM
England's young people performing esp well, putting UK in the top ten for maths, reading and science.
One driver of bucking trend is better integration: closing white/minority attainment gap for children of migrants, where west European countries lag
www.theguardian.com/education/20...
One driver of bucking trend is better integration: closing white/minority attainment gap for children of migrants, where west European countries lag
www.theguardian.com/education/20...
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September 5, 2026 at 9:59 PM
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Reposted by Mike Gapes
Investigations launched into polling firm at centre of Reform UK allegations www.theguardian.com/politics/202...
Investigations launched into polling firm at centre of Reform UK allegations
British Polling Council and Market Research Society announce inquiries into JL Partners, which has been accused of breaking transparency rules
www.theguardian.com
September 4, 2026 at 5:35 PM
Investigations launched into polling firm at centre of Reform UK allegations www.theguardian.com/politics/202...
Reposted by Mike Gapes
🚨 WATCH: Leaked footage shows Robert Jenrick calling Afghanistan "shit"
"Detain and deport and send them back home, even if it's somewhere shit like Afghanistan"
"Detain and deport and send them back home, even if it's somewhere shit like Afghanistan"
September 4, 2026 at 5:48 PM
🚨 WATCH: Leaked footage shows Robert Jenrick calling Afghanistan "shit"
"Detain and deport and send them back home, even if it's somewhere shit like Afghanistan"
"Detain and deport and send them back home, even if it's somewhere shit like Afghanistan"
Reposted by Mike Gapes
🧵1/ I worked in anti-corruption for years before becoming an MP.
Nigel Farage has serious questions to answer following the undercover investigation into Reform UK's fundraising practices.
This is now for the police and donations watchdog to resolve, but here is what I want to know:
Nigel Farage has serious questions to answer following the undercover investigation into Reform UK's fundraising practices.
This is now for the police and donations watchdog to resolve, but here is what I want to know:
Reform officials ‘plotted to break law on foreign donations’ in undercover film
Investigation broadcast by Channel 4 News shows man posing as ‘impermissible donor’ paying for polling that helped Reform
www.theguardian.com
September 4, 2026 at 2:20 PM
🧵1/ I worked in anti-corruption for years before becoming an MP.
Nigel Farage has serious questions to answer following the undercover investigation into Reform UK's fundraising practices.
This is now for the police and donations watchdog to resolve, but here is what I want to know:
Nigel Farage has serious questions to answer following the undercover investigation into Reform UK's fundraising practices.
This is now for the police and donations watchdog to resolve, but here is what I want to know: