My name is Mike Olley.
I’ve been connected with the Labour movement since the mid 1970s. All of that time immersed in the politics and gossip of Birmingham and the West Midlands.
I’m proud of my friendships with participants of all the major parties and beyond. I was elected as a Birmingham councillor from 1991 to 2005 and was subsequently appointed as an Honorary Alderman. I continue to play an active role in local politics as an active observer, critic and influencer.
I write a weekly column on local, regional and national politics every Wednesday in the Birmingham Mail, and you can find and read each column on this website.
I first wrote my column for the Mail back in the mid-2000s and, after a break of a few years, I’m now thrilled to have been asked to return as a regular commentator.
It’s been a few years, and much has changed. Yet as ever, we live in interesting times. And I plan to capture a few gems to inform and entertain you.
If you’ve got good inside information for my column, or if there’s anything of interest you think I should be writing about, please email me at mike_olley@yahoo.co.uk.
I hope you enjoy the column,
Mike Olley
Buy my book!
Dive into a series of weekly columns that combine wit, warmth, and a fresh perspective on the issues shaping the English Midlands. Centred around the movers and shakers of Birmingham yet reaching across the region, these stories capture the quirks and challenges that resonate in towns, cities, and villages alike.
Available in English and Klingon-themed versions:
