Labour's Bev Craig secured a decisive victory in the Greater Manchester mayoral byelection, winning 66.3% of second-preference votes and reclaiming areas from Reform UK and the Greens. This outcome provides a significant boost for Labour and raises critical questions for Nigel Farage's party regarding its national standing and funding issues.
Labour candidate Bev Craig will succeed Andy Burnham as Greater Manchester's mayor after winning a by-election. Craig, Manchester City Council's first female and openly gay leader, previously oversaw economic growth and improved children's services.
Bev Craig of Labour has been elected the new Mayor of Greater Manchester, succeeding Andy Burnham. She secured 309,525 votes against Reform UK's Sian Astley, who received 157,178 votes, after second-preference votes were added.
Voting has commenced in the Greater Manchester mayoral by-election, with over 2 million eligible voters choosing Andy Burnham's successor. Labour's Bev Craig is widely expected to win comfortably, despite initial fears of losing to Reform UK, as the contest is largely overshadowed by Burnham's recent ascent to Prime Minister.
Bev Craig has won the Greater Manchester mayoral special election, succeeding Andy Burnham. She pledged to improve constituents' lives, facing lower turnout and a challenge from Reform UK, whose resources were diverted to a separate by-election.
Bev Craig, leader of Manchester city council, has been named Labour's candidate for the Greater Manchester mayoral by-election on July 30. The election, triggered by Andy Burnham's potential move to national politics, is expected to be a close contest with Reform UK.
