Labour Party MP for Dover and Deal.
Tapp's most distinctive recent act was backing the assisted dying bill at Report Stage in June 2025, voting for two new clauses on guidance and regulatory consultation that his party majority opposed — one of only three rebel votes in his parliamentary career so far. The other came in December 2024, when he voted against a Lib Dem motion to introduce proportional representation, also against the Labour majority. Beyond those two moments, he has voted with his party on virtually everything: nationalising the railways, the Steel Industry (Nationalisation) Bill, and clean air zone fee reforms all carried his vote in June 2026.
At 77% voting participation — slightly below the Commons average — and 99.3% party alignment, Tapp is a broadly loyal, moderately engaged backbencher. His 205 contributions across 73 debates lean heavily on immigration (45 speeches) and crime (25), both topics with direct local relevance to a constituency that includes the Port of Dover. He is notably more aligned with local government powers than his party average (+26 percentage points), and more sympathetic to criminal justice reform. He has no committee roles, which limits his formal influence over legislation.
The clearest picture of Tapp outside the chamber is in his constituency work. He drew attention in early 2026 for publicly condemning an antisemitic art exhibition as "completely unacceptable," and has run a sustained "Tapp into Politics" initiative engaging school pupils with democracy — covered positively in local press. His personal military background, which he has cited in defence debates, adds context to his advocacy for veteran housing in Dover. News coverage over the past 90 days is broadly neutral, with 26 articles averaging a marginally positive sentiment score of 0.14.
Mike Tapp is the Labour MP for Dover and Deal, and has been an MP continually since 4 July 2024. He currently holds the Government post of Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Home Office).
Top eight by total divisions voted, this parliament. Volume measures engagement, not direction — see Notable Votes for free-vote moments and rebellions.
Source · The Public Whip · Hansard
Moments where the whip was free, or where Tapp broke ranks. Free votes are the truer signal of personal stance.
| Date | Bill / motion | Vote | Whip |
|---|---|---|---|
| 13 Jun 2025 | Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill: New Clause 1 | Yes | Freevs party |
| 13 Jun 2025 | Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill: New Clause 2 | Yes | Freevs party |
| 3 Dec 2024 | Elections (proportional representation): Ten Minute Rule Motion | No | Freevs party |
Source · Hansard
“The BNO visa route has been successful, with over 170,000 Hongkongers moved to the UK; the government is consulting on settlement reforms and will bring forward changes soon.”
“Rejects offshore detention as costly and impractical; defends government's existing reforms including returns agreements and increased deportations; notes ECHR underpins returns ag…”
“The government recognizes the need for timely announcements and will work with stakeholders, but is committed to reducing long-term reliance on overseas seasonal workers.”
“UK-Ireland cooperation is deepening through data sharing and intelligence; government has removed 70,000 migrants (41% increase) and is investing £3bn in enforcement over three yea…”
Tapp holds no select-committee seat this session. New 2024-intake MPs typically wait one term before being appointed.
| Department | Qs | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Home Office | 5 | 50.0% |
| Department for Energy Security and Net Zero | 2 | 20.0% |
| Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office | 2 | 20.0% |
| Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government | 1 | 10.0% |
Communities and Local Government, how many local authorities have been subject to ransomware attacks in the last 12 months; and how much has been spent on recovering public data from those attacks.
MHCLG have supported local authorities to respond to two ransomware incidents in the last 12 months. Historically, MHCLG has not collected data on local authority ransomware related expenditure but maintains a clear opposition to ransom pay…read full →
Which database systems are the people who have arrived via small boat crossing checked against for (a) criminal and (b) counter-terrorism information; and how long does it take on average for full checks on people to be conducted and the full results received.
The Home Office checks all small boat arrivals against a range of secure systems. These include internal databases, law enforcement records, biometric verification platforms and immigration history systems. Biometrics and biographic details…read full →
Whether his Department has made an assessment of the potential merits of using disused mine shafts for clean energy creation using heat pump technology in Dover and Deal constituency.
To achieve net zero at lowest cost, we must look at how to accelerate all low carbon technologies including geothermal. The mine water from coal mines shows good potential as a renewable source for heat networks. The government is therefore…read full →
If his Department will take steps to ensure the Port of Dover has sufficient energy supply to the Port to implement electric ferry charging points.
The Government published the Maritime Decarbonisation Strategy on 25 March, which outlines domestic goals and commitments to decarbonise maritime transport, and a call for evidence on Net Zero Ports was launched to assess future energy dema…read full →
Name of company or organisation: Monki Dog Care
Name of company or organisation: Monki Dog Care
Nature of business: Dog Day Care service
Held jointly with or on behalf of: Wife
(Registe… |
Director of Monki Dog Care Ltd.
Director of Monki Dog Care Ltd.
(Registered 26 July 2024) |
Source · Members API · Last amended 16 Aug 2024
| Category | £ | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Staffing | 155,859 | 81.2% |
| Accommodation | 21,658 | 11.3% |
| Office Costs | 10,075 | 5.2% |
| MP Travel | 3,502 | 1.8% |
| Staff Travel | 578 | 0.3% |
| Total · 47 claims | 191,913 | 100% |
Source · IPSA · FY 24_25
Nothing tabled for Tapp on the published Order Paper this week.
| Year | Constituency | Votes | Share | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | Dover and Deal | 18,940 | 39.6% | Won |
| Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mike TappWON | Lab | 18,940 | 39.6 |
Showing the MP’s own row only. Full result table: see Dover and Deal →