Bev Craig Triumphs: Greater Manchester Mayoral Election Shakes Up Local Politics

Bev Craig of the Labour Party has been declared the new Mayor of Greater Manchester, succeeding Andy Burnham who stepped down to become the Makerfield MP and subsequently Prime Minister. This historic by-election, held on Thursday, July 30, 2026, marked the first time a strategic authority mayoralty was contested through a by-election in the UK, making it the largest such electoral event in the country's history. Polls closed at 10pm, with the extensive count commencing at 9am the following day, Friday, July 31, at Co-op Live.

The election utilized the Supplementary Voting System, requiring voters to indicate both their first and second preferences. While the initial round of voting aimed to determine a clear winner with over 50% of the vote, no candidate achieved this threshold across Greater Manchester, necessitating the counting of second-preference votes to decide the final outcome.

Across the ten boroughs of Greater Manchester, a total of 538,659 votes were cast from an electorate of 2,142,779, resulting in a turnout of just 25.14%. This figure represents the lowest turnout ever recorded for a Greater Manchester mayoral election, notably lower than the 32.05% in 2024, 28.9% in 2017, and 34.7% in 2021.

The first round of voting saw Bev Craig (Labour and Co-operative Party) lead with 251,449 votes (47.15%), followed by Sian Astley (Reform UK) with 111,928 votes (20.99%). Geraldine Coggins (The Green Party) secured 64,968 votes (12.18%), Marlon West (Restore Britain) received 46,289 votes (8.68%), Phil Eckersley (The Conservative Party Candidate) garnered 41,021 votes (7.69%), Richard Martin Kilpatrick (Liberal Democrats) had 14,702 votes (2.76%), and Independent Marcus Jonathan Farmer received 2,969 votes (0.56%).

Following the distribution of second-preference votes from the eliminated candidates, Bev Craig's victory was confirmed with a total of 309,525 votes, equating to 66.3% of the final count. Sian Astley, finishing in second place, accumulated 157,178 votes, representing 33.7%.

Local breakdowns of voting across key boroughs further illustrated the electoral landscape. In Salford, approximately 189,000 eligible voters participated, with Craig receiving 21,445 first-preference votes (totaling 26,839 after second preferences) and Astley 9,600 (totaling 13,628). Manchester, with around 391,000 eligible voters, saw Craig secure 49,326 first-preference votes (totaling 66,110) and Astley 9,845 (totaling 14,006). In Stockport, where turnout was 31.3% among 223,000 eligible voters, Craig notably achieved 50.2% in the first round with 35,571 votes (totaling 43,702 after second preferences), while Astley received 12,551 (17.7%) first-preference votes (totaling 17,667). The overall Greater Manchester result, however, required the supplementary count.

In her victory speech, delivered from the Co-op Live stage, Ms. Craig, a Belfast-born 41-year-old and former Manchester council leader, expressed profound honor and humility at being entrusted to serve the three million people of Greater Manchester. She pledged to defend the city region with conviction and to fight tirelessly for a better life for all its residents. Reflecting on her personal journey from a council estate to this influential political role, she emphasized Greater Manchester's rich history and, more importantly, its immense future potential. Her core commitment is to ensure that every decision she makes as Mayor will improve residents' lives, putting more money in their pockets, providing free bus travel for 11 to 18-year-olds, ensuring access to affordable quality homes in safe neighborhoods, and fostering economic growth that benefits everyone through good jobs and revitalized high streets. Ms. Craig also stressed the importance of moving beyond divisive politics to build a unified Greater Manchester where everyone feels welcome and has opportunities to succeed.

Reaction from other candidates varied. Sian Astley of Reform UK expressed satisfaction with her second-place finish, calling it a "stonking result" for her party, noting it surpassed their 2024 performance. She speculated that Labour's success might be partly attributed to voters' hopes associated with former Mayor Andy Burnham's new role as Prime Minister and Ms. Craig's connection to that optimism. Geraldine Coggins of the Green Party, whose party saw increased vote share, suggested that Labour's failure to secure a first-round victory, especially during what she termed the "honeymoon period" of a new Prime Minister, indicated a "bad result" for them.

The by-election, triggered by Mr. Burnham's swift move to Westminster and then Downing Street, faced criticism due to its estimated cost of £5 million, particularly as it occurred just two years after his landslide re-election for a third term. Despite the significant political change it represented, the election was largely overshadowed by Mr. Burnham’s ascent and the Clacton by-election, leading to it being described as the "election hardly anyone is talking about." With a budget of £3 billion and extensive powers covering health, transport, housing, policing, strategic planning, waste management, and the fire and rescue service, Ms. Craig now holds one of the most influential political positions in the country, poised to implement her vision for the region.