Mike Smithson (politics)

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Mike Smithson (born May 11th 1946) is a writer, a Liberal Democratic politician and expert on betting on politics who in 2004 founded the website politicalbetting.com which has become one of the most widely read political blogs in the UK. Since January 2008 he has been the full-time editor of the site.

He joined the Liberal Democrats on their foundation, and stood for Parliament in North Bedfordshire at the 1992 General Election. He was twice elected as a County Councillor in Bedfordshire, and also as a Borough Councillor in Bedford.

Much of his early career was a BBC News journalist. Since 1994 he has worked as Director of Development running the fundraising for five UK universities - for the London School of Economics from 1994 to 1996, for Cambridge University from 1996 to 1999, for Oxford University from 1999 to 2005, and for York University from 2005 to April 2007. He also had a spell at Open University. During his university fundraising career he has overseen approaches that have led to more than £550m being raised. This included the $100m gift by James Martin to establish the James Martin 21st Century School at the University of Oxford - the largest ever single alumni donation to a UK university.

He is a former fellow of Queens' College Cambridge and Magdalen College, Oxford.

From 1977 to 1982 he represented the UK's radio and television journalists on the National Executive Committee of the National Union of Journalists.

In 2007 his book The Political Punter - How to make money betting on politics was published by Harriman House.[1]