Bev Craig elected Greater Manchester Mayor after defeating Reform UK

Bev Craig elected Greater Manchester Mayor after defeating Reform UK

Bev Craig has been elected as the Mayor of Greater Manchester, securing a decisive victory for the Labour Party in the largest by-election in British history. The result, announced close to 23:00 on Friday, July 31, 2026, follows the resignation of Andy Burnham, who vacated the post after being elected as the MP for Makerfield.

Ms. Craig, the leader of Manchester City Council since 2021 and a former member for the economy for the Greater Manchester Combined Authority, won the contest with a combined total of 309,525 first and second preference votes. This represents 66.3 per cent of the final vote share. Her nearest rival, Sian Astley of Reform UK, finished second with 157,178 votes, or 33.7 per cent.

The election was conducted using the supplementary vote system, allowing voters to select two candidates. For the first time in a Greater Manchester mayoral election, no candidate reached the 50 per cent threshold required to win outright in the first round. Ms. Craig led the first round with 47.15 per cent of the vote, while Ms. Astley followed with 20.99 per cent. This triggered a second-round run-off between the two.

Historic Low Turnout

Despite the high-profile nature of the race, voter engagement reached a historic low. Only 25.14 per cent of the 2,142,779 eligible voters cast ballots, totaling 538,659 votes. This figure is lower than previous contests in the region, including 34.7 per cent in 2021, 28.9 per cent in 2017, and 32.05 per cent in 2024.

Analysts suggest the apathy may be linked to election fatigue, as constituencies such as Makerfield and Gorton and Denton have gone to the polls three times already in 2026. Other contributing factors cited include the university summer break and residents being away for the holidays.

Political Shifts and Party Performances

The victory for Ms. Craig is framed as a continuation of the "Burnham bounce," following Andy Burnham's ascent to Prime Minister after succeeding Sir Keir Starmer. While Reform UK was initially favored by bookmakers due to strong local election performances—including winning 24 of 25 available seats in Wigan in May—the party failed to capitalize on that momentum in this by-election.

Other parties struggled to gain traction. The Green Party, represented by Geraldine Coggins, did not make the run-off. Although Coggins described the result as a "record result" for her party and noted the lack of a ringing endorsement for Labour, the Greens failed to match their February success in Gorton and Denton.

In a surprise result, Marlon West of the Restore party finished fourth, beating both the Liberal Democrats and the Conservative Party. West, whose campaign focused on immigration and child sexual abuse, finished just 18,000 votes behind the Green Party. Robert Ford, a politics professor at the University of Manchester, suggested that Restore's performance may have harmed Reform UK's totals.

Expanded Powers and Vision

Ms. Craig assumes one of the most powerful political roles outside of Westminster, overseeing a £3bn budget with authority over economic development, planning, policing, and transport. Her tenure will likely see more power than her predecessor held; on the same day as the result, Prime Minister Burnham announced that English mayors will be permitted to keep a share of locally collected business rates and income tax.

In her victory speech at the Co-op Live arena, Ms. Craig, who grew up on a council estate, emphasized a commitment to regional improvement:

"I will defend this city region with every bone in my body and I will fight for a better life for all of us."

Bev Craig, Mayor of Greater Manchester, via PA

She further stated that every decision she takes as mayor will be measured by whether it makes life better for the region's residents. Speaking to The Independent, she noted that the Prime Minister's decision to devolve more control is "absolutely fantastic" and intends to apply these new powers to support young people from age 16.

Ms. Craig has pledged to lay out a "week of priorities" during her first week in office as she begins her term.