Bev Craig emerged victorious today as the new mayor of Greater Manchester, succeeding Andy Burnham after winning the largest by-election in the country’s history. The 41-year-old leader of Manchester City Council and a rising figure in the Labour Party secured the win in a runoff against Reform’s Sian Astley, as no candidate obtained over 50% of the votes.
With a turnout slightly above 25%, over 500,000 votes were cast out of a potential two million eligible voters. Following the runoff and consideration of second preferences, Ms. Craig garnered 309,525 votes. The by-election was triggered by Mr. Burnham’s resignation from the position last month following his parliamentary election victory in Makerfield, paving the way for his bid for Downing Street.
Despite Reform’s initial optimism for a political upset in Labour’s stronghold after the party’s success in the region during the May local elections, Ms. Craig’s victory, a friend of the new Prime Minister, was anticipated due to Nigel Farage’s involvement in a separate by-election in Clacton. Ms. Craig, who relocated to Manchester from Belfast in 2003 and was elected as a Burnage councillor in 2011, became the first LGBT+ and female leader of Manchester City Council a decade later, succeeding Sir Richard Leese.
In a recent interview, Ms. Craig expressed confidence in her partnership with the Prime Minister, emphasizing her commitment to advocating for Greater Manchester’s needs. She underlined her independence from Andy Burnham, highlighting her unique ideas and accountability solely to the region. Mr. Burnham was spotted casting his vote at a polling station near Wigan shortly before polls closed on Thursday evening.
Following the first preference and second preference votes, Bev Craig secured the mayoral position in Greater Manchester, marking a significant milestone in her political career.
