Mike Gapes

Michael John "Mike" Gapes (born 4 September 1952) is a British Labour Co-operative politician who has been the Member of Parliament (MP) for Ilford South since the 1992 general election.

Early life and career

Mike Gapes was born in Wanstead Hospital, the son of a postman, and educated at Staples Road Infants' School in Loughton and Manford County Primary School in Chigwell, before attending Buckhurst Hill County High School. He continued his studies at Fitzwilliam College, Cambridge where he was awarded a degree in economics in 1975; he also served as the secretary of the university's students' union in 1973. He completed his education at Middlesex Polytechnic in Enfield where he earned a diploma in industrial relations in 1976. Gapes is a keen supporter of West Ham United F.C.

Mike Gapes worked as a VSO teacher in Swaziland in a gap year before attending university in 1972, and for a few months as an administrator at Middlesex Hospital in 1976.

Political career

Labour Party

Mike Gapes was a founder member and convenor of the Clause Four Group in 1974, and the sixth Chair of the National Organisation of Labour Students from 1976 to 1977, taking over following the defeat of the entryist Trotskyist Militant tendency. In 1977 he was appointed as the first National Student Organiser of the Labour Party.

Ilford South (UK Parliament constituency)

Ilford South is a constituency represented in the House of Commons of the UK Parliament since 1992 by Mike Gapes of the Labour Party and of the Co-operative Party.

Boundaries

1945-1950: The Municipal Borough of Ilford wards of Clementswood, Cranbrook, Goodmayes, Loxford, and Park.

1950-1974: The Municipal Borough of Ilford wards of Clementswood, Cranbrook, Goodmayes, Loxford, Mayfield, and Park.

1974-1983: The London Borough of Redbridge wards of Clementswood, Cranbrook, Goodmayes, Ilford, Mayfield, and Park.

1983-1997: The London Borough of Redbridge wards of Clementswood, Cranbrook, Goodmayes, Loxford, Mayfield, Newbury, and Valentines.

1997-present: The London Borough of Redbridge wards of Chadwell, Clementswood, Cranbrook, Goodmayes, Loxford, Mayfield, Newbury, Seven Kings, and Valentines.

The constituency is bordered to the east by Dagenham and Rainham, to the south by Barking and to the north by Ilford North.

History

This constituency was created in 1945 and was in 1995, like the adjoining Ilford North seat, altered to contain slightly different electoral wards. The current MP is the fourth Labour Party MP, each of which has been interspersed by a period of a Conservative MP serving the area, however the current MP is the longest incumbent of the seat, having held it since 1992.

Mike

Mike is an abbreviation or shorthand for Michael.

The name Mike may refer to:

Miscellaneous

People

Steven Woolfe

Steven Marcus Woolfe (born 6 October 1967) is a British barrister and politician, who has served as a Member of the European Parliament for the North West England region since being elected at the 2014. He contested Stockport as the UK Independence Party candidate at the 2015 general election.

Early life

Woolfe, the eldest of a family of four, was born in Moss Side, in Manchester, and grew up in Burnage. His half-brother is Nathan Woolfe, the former Bolton Wanderers football player and current Stockport County striker.

Woolfe was educated at St Bernard's Roman Catholic Primary School, a voluntary-aided state-maintained school in Burnage, followed by the independent St Bede's College in Whalley Range, where he won a scholarship. He studied law at Aberystwyth University graduating with a Bachelor of Laws (LLB) degree in 1990. He pursued further studies at the Inns of Court School of Law in London, before being called to the Bar.

Legal career

Woolfe began his career at chambers in the Inner Temple, practising as a Criminal Law barrister in the City of London. He then spent several years as general counsel for hedge fund managers. He now also acts as a legal and regulatory consultant to financial institutions.