Career
Born in Wigan and educated at Street Mary"s College Crosby and Leeds University, Kelly worked on Time Out and the Leveller in the 1970s and joined Tribune in the mid-1980s, working as a reporter and then news editor before becoming editor (1987–1991). Kelly subsequently worked as an aide to the Labour Member of Parliament, Michael Meacher. He was a Labour Islington councillor in 1984-1986 and 1990-1998, latterly as the council"s deputy leader.
He was re-elected to the Council in 2006.