Bev Craig emerged victorious as the new mayor of Greater Manchester, succeeding Andy Burnham after a decisive win in the region’s largest-ever by-election. The 41-year-old, a prominent figure in the Labour Party and leader of Manchester City Council, secured the win in a runoff against Reform’s Sian Astley when no candidate reached a majority vote threshold.
The voter turnout for the election was slightly over 25%, lower than the previous mayoral contest, with over 500,000 ballots cast from a potential two million eligible voters. Following the runoff and consideration of second preferences, Ms. Craig garnered 309,525 votes.
The by-election was prompted by Mr. Burnham’s resignation from the position last month, following his election victory in Makerfield, setting the stage for his parliamentary aspirations. Despite early hopes from Reform for a political upset in Labour’s stronghold, Ms. Craig, who is acquainted with the new Prime Minister, secured a comfortable win amidst polling indicating a favorable outcome for her candidacy.
Hailing from a council estate near Belfast, Ms. Craig relocated to Manchester at 18 and was first elected as a Burnage councillor in 2011. A decade later, she made history as the first female and LGBT+ leader of Manchester City Council, succeeding Sir Richard Leese after his lengthy tenure.
In a recent interview, Ms. Craig highlighted her positive rapport with the Prime Minister, emphasizing her commitment to advocating for Greater Manchester’s needs. She asserted her independence, stating, “When people ask what’s the difference between you and Andy – there’s loads of differences. But I am standing as my own person, with my own ideas, and I’ll be accountable to this region, and to no one else.”
Mr. Burnham was spotted casting his vote at a polling station in Golborne shortly before the polls closed. The election results, reflecting both first and second preference votes, underscored Ms. Craig’s decisive win in the highly anticipated mayoral race in Greater Manchester.
