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
Honestly, I did NOT have "punching the air and going HELL YES to Chris Patten" on my bingo card today. But what he says is SO rarely said and needed saying SO badly!
"How shall we treat Mr Farage's concerns? Shall we hail Brexit a tremendous success? Something that has cost the country billions?"
"How shall we treat Mr Farage's concerns? Shall we hail Brexit a tremendous success? Something that has cost the country billions?"
SUPERB and angrily unvarnished response, by former BBC chairman, Lord Patten.
"I don't think that we should allow ourselves to be bullied into thinking that the BBC is only any good, if it reflects the prejudice of the last person who shouted at it." ~AA
"I don't think that we should allow ourselves to be bullied into thinking that the BBC is only any good, if it reflects the prejudice of the last person who shouted at it." ~AA
November 10, 2025 at 6:47 PM
Honestly, I did NOT have "punching the air and going HELL YES to Chris Patten" on my bingo card today. But what he says is SO rarely said and needed saying SO badly!
"How shall we treat Mr Farage's concerns? Shall we hail Brexit a tremendous success? Something that has cost the country billions?"
"How shall we treat Mr Farage's concerns? Shall we hail Brexit a tremendous success? Something that has cost the country billions?"
Perhaps we should ask Trump Musk and Vance to choose the next Director General of the BBC ? Or just appoint someone from KGB News ?
November 9, 2025 at 8:49 PM
Perhaps we should ask Trump Musk and Vance to choose the next Director General of the BBC ? Or just appoint someone from KGB News ?
Reposted by Mike Gapes
Glad that someone has finally taken responsibility for the appalling assault on democracy that was the Jan. 6 insurrection.
Slightly confused that it's the Director-General of the BBC, but what do I know?
Slightly confused that it's the Director-General of the BBC, but what do I know?
November 9, 2025 at 6:55 PM
Glad that someone has finally taken responsibility for the appalling assault on democracy that was the Jan. 6 insurrection.
Slightly confused that it's the Director-General of the BBC, but what do I know?
Slightly confused that it's the Director-General of the BBC, but what do I know?
Reposted by Mike Gapes
Which one is more English?
November 6, 2025 at 11:58 AM
Which one is more English?
Reposted by Mike Gapes
West Midlands Police arrested 6 people from those taking part in a range of protests about Israel, Palestine, Middle East & global politics ahead of the Aston Villa v Maccabi Tel Aviv football match in the Europa League tonight
November 6, 2025 at 8:24 PM
West Midlands Police arrested 6 people from those taking part in a range of protests about Israel, Palestine, Middle East & global politics ahead of the Aston Villa v Maccabi Tel Aviv football match in the Europa League tonight
Reposted by Mike Gapes
Prevent stats published today www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/crim...
Far-right cases referred to Prevent programme double those for Islamist extremism
A record 8,778 people were referred to the government’s anti-extremism scheme in the year to March 2025
www.independent.co.uk
November 6, 2025 at 1:13 PM
Prevent stats published today www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/crim...
Wordle 1,601 1/6
🟩🟩🟩🟩🟩. It says Genius. First time I’ve ever done it in 1.
🟩🟩🟩🟩🟩. It says Genius. First time I’ve ever done it in 1.
November 6, 2025 at 8:24 PM
Wordle 1,601 1/6
🟩🟩🟩🟩🟩. It says Genius. First time I’ve ever done it in 1.
🟩🟩🟩🟩🟩. It says Genius. First time I’ve ever done it in 1.
Wordle 1,600 4/6
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November 5, 2025 at 11:21 PM
Wordle 1,600 4/6
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Reposted by Mike Gapes
In a year of disaster, last night was finally a very good night for Democrats
-sweeping the board in Virginia and New Jersey (two states where they went seriously backwards in 24)
-Mamdani win
-California redistricting win
Foreshadows potential blue wave in midterms
-sweeping the board in Virginia and New Jersey (two states where they went seriously backwards in 24)
-Mamdani win
-California redistricting win
Foreshadows potential blue wave in midterms
November 5, 2025 at 11:19 AM
In a year of disaster, last night was finally a very good night for Democrats
-sweeping the board in Virginia and New Jersey (two states where they went seriously backwards in 24)
-Mamdani win
-California redistricting win
Foreshadows potential blue wave in midterms
-sweeping the board in Virginia and New Jersey (two states where they went seriously backwards in 24)
-Mamdani win
-California redistricting win
Foreshadows potential blue wave in midterms
Wordle 1,599 5/6
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November 4, 2025 at 8:46 PM
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Really interesting interview on BBC 5 Live by @mattchorley.bsky.social with my good friend and former Home Secretary Charles Clarke. Measured. Thoughtful. Well worth catching up with on BBC Sounds. But why is the BBC not on Bluesky?
November 4, 2025 at 3:40 PM
Really interesting interview on BBC 5 Live by @mattchorley.bsky.social with my good friend and former Home Secretary Charles Clarke. Measured. Thoughtful. Well worth catching up with on BBC Sounds. But why is the BBC not on Bluesky?
Reposted by Mike Gapes
Another chance to marvel at Dick Cheney voting for Kamala Harris independent.co.uk/news/world/a...
November 4, 2025 at 1:26 PM
Another chance to marvel at Dick Cheney voting for Kamala Harris independent.co.uk/news/world/a...
Congratulations to @vicderbyshire.bsky.social on @bbcnewsnight.bsky.social taking apart the Reform Party charlatan Zia Yusuf. Excellent interview. It would be good if the rest of the BBC were equally robust with the Farage cult.
November 3, 2025 at 10:56 PM
Congratulations to @vicderbyshire.bsky.social on @bbcnewsnight.bsky.social taking apart the Reform Party charlatan Zia Yusuf. Excellent interview. It would be good if the rest of the BBC were equally robust with the Farage cult.
Wordle 1,598 4/6
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November 3, 2025 at 10:16 PM
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November 2, 2025 at 7:56 PM
Wordle 1,597 3/6
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Reposted by Mike Gapes
Could Katie Lam identify the London schools where "more than three-quarters of children don’t speak English to a serviceable school standard". Well done to @davehillonlondon.bsky.social for giving Lam + CPS the chance to substantiate this claim at the Tory fringe
www.onlondon.co.uk/dave-hill-ka...
www.onlondon.co.uk/dave-hill-ka...
Dave Hill: Katie Lam should learn London's language
Recent comments about the capital's school children's English skills suggest the Tory MP from Kent must try harder
www.onlondon.co.uk
October 31, 2025 at 4:36 PM
Could Katie Lam identify the London schools where "more than three-quarters of children don’t speak English to a serviceable school standard". Well done to @davehillonlondon.bsky.social for giving Lam + CPS the chance to substantiate this claim at the Tory fringe
www.onlondon.co.uk/dave-hill-ka...
www.onlondon.co.uk/dave-hill-ka...
Reposted by Mike Gapes
Just for context and Elon Musk’s claim of “widespread slaughter” in Europe. The per capita murder rate is EIGHT TIMES HIGHER in the US
October 31, 2025 at 6:15 PM
Just for context and Elon Musk’s claim of “widespread slaughter” in Europe. The per capita murder rate is EIGHT TIMES HIGHER in the US
Wordle 1,595 6/6
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October 31, 2025 at 6:51 PM
Wordle 1,595 6/6
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Reposted by Mike Gapes
Tory MP Katie Lam is espousing views that would have barred entry to her own ancestors when they were fleeing the Nazis, writes @arusbridger.bsky.social.
Katie Lam’s anti-immigrant rhetoric sounds a lot like that of the 1930s
The Kent MP is espousing views that would have barred entry to her own ancestors when they were fleeing the Nazis
www.prospectmagazine.co.uk
October 31, 2025 at 10:41 AM
Tory MP Katie Lam is espousing views that would have barred entry to her own ancestors when they were fleeing the Nazis, writes @arusbridger.bsky.social.
Reposted by Mike Gapes
Some Tories now backing Rachel Reeves.
October 30, 2025 at 8:14 PM
Some Tories now backing Rachel Reeves.
Reposted by Mike Gapes
She’s right. She *deliberately* hacked into Harriet Harman’s website, whereas Rachel Reeves is accused of obtaining a license late by accident. I assume that’s what she means, given Badenoch is widely known for her thoughtfulness and her self-awareness.
Badenoch says hacking into Harriet Harman's website 17 years ago 'not the same' as Reeves breaking law
Badenoch says hacking into Harriet Harman's website 17 years ago 'not the same' as Reeves breaking law
Kemi Badenoch has said hacking into Harriet Harman's website when she was younger is "not the same" as Rachel Reeves failing to get a £900 rental licence for her home.
news.sky.com
October 30, 2025 at 6:45 PM
She’s right. She *deliberately* hacked into Harriet Harman’s website, whereas Rachel Reeves is accused of obtaining a license late by accident. I assume that’s what she means, given Badenoch is widely known for her thoughtfulness and her self-awareness.
Reposted by Mike Gapes
"...it seems unsustainable for those who care about British democracy to remain on a platform whose owner is fixated on its very destruction."
I've written a couple of things over the last days about how the government and much of Westminster remaining on X as the platform becomes increasingly toxic is having consequences for our politics...
Our politics is increasingly normalised to racism – because politicians are addicted to X
The platform has quietly dragged British politics into a dark place
inews.co.uk
October 30, 2025 at 8:33 PM
"...it seems unsustainable for those who care about British democracy to remain on a platform whose owner is fixated on its very destruction."
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October 30, 2025 at 8:48 PM
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October 28, 2025 at 8:23 PM
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