Andy Burnham has called on the newly elected Greater Manchester mayor, Bev Craig, to push boundaries and take more action following her victory in the by-election. Bev Craig, the Labour candidate, won the largest by-election in British history to take over from Mr. Burnham after he resigned to become Prime Minister.
The results were announced late on Friday, marking another setback for Nigel Farage’s Reform party in the elections. Andy Burnham praised Bev Craig as the “queen of the north” during a celebratory event in Manchester, expressing confidence in her ability to lead the city region into a prosperous decade ahead.
Bev Craig, the 41-year-old leader of Manchester City Council, emerged victorious after a run-off with Reform’s Sian Astley due to no candidate securing over 50% of the vote. The voter turnout was slightly over 25%, with more than 500,000 ballots cast out of a potential two million eligible voters.
In her address to supporters, Bev Craig emphasized the public’s desire for responsive leadership focused on improving their lives and economic well-being. She pledged to continue the positive momentum in Greater Manchester, rejecting divisive politics and emphasizing unity within communities.
Analysis of the election results revealed that Bev Craig led in all ten local authority areas comprising Greater Manchester in the initial round of voting. Sian Astley secured second place in eight areas, while the Green candidate Geraldine Coggins and Conservative candidate Phil Eckersley followed in the remaining regions.
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