Bev Craig wins Greater Manchester mayoral byelection

Bev Craig of the Labour Party has won the Greater Manchester mayoral byelection, succeeding Andy Burnham in the role. The election was decided via a supplementary vote system because no candidate achieved more than 50 percent of the first preference votes. Craig won 47.15 percent of the first round votes, while Reform UK candidate Sian Astley received 20.99 percent. After second preferences were counted, Craig secured the victory with 309,525 votes compared to 157,178 for Astley. The Green Party candidate, Geraldine Coggins, placed third with 64,968 votes. Turnout was reported as a historic low, with only 25 percent of eligible voters casting ballots.

The vacancy was created after Andy Burnham resigned the mayoralty in June to become the prime minister of the United Kingdom. Craig, who has led the Manchester City Council since 2021, will now manage powers over housing, policing, and transport. In her victory speech at the Co-op Live arena, Craig stated she is ready to serve her 3 million constituents and urged society to move away from divisive politics.

Center left sources framed the result as a decisive victory and a significant boost for the new prime minister, suggesting a recovery of voters who had previously deserted the party. Center sources focused more on the logistical aspects of the race, noting that Reform UK diverted resources toward a separate byelection in Clacton called by Nigel Farage. The performance of Reform UK was viewed as a disappointment by several outlets, as the party had performed strongly in local elections earlier in the year. Additionally, a new party called Restore Britain won 8.7 percent of the vote, beating the Conservatives into fourth place.