The New Queen of the North

Why the by-election happened

Andy Burnham had been Mayor of Greater Manchester since the role was created, winning elections in 2017, 2021 and 2024. In June 2026 he won a parliamentary by-election in Makerfield and returned to the House of Commons. Because the Greater Manchester mayor also holds Police and Crime Commissioner powers, the law disqualifies the post-holder from sitting as an MP at the same time. Burnham’s election as MP therefore automatically ended his mayoralty.

Paul Dennett (Mayor of Salford and deputy mayor) served as acting mayor in the interim. A by-election had to be held within a short statutory window. It took place on 30 July 2026, with the result declared late on 31 July. The winner serves until the next regular election in 2028. This was the first by-election for a strategic authority (metro) mayor in the UK and the largest by-election ever held in Britain, covering an electorate of more than 2.1 million people across the ten boroughs of Greater Manchester.

The role of the Mayor of Greater Manchester

The mayor chairs the Greater Manchester Combined Authority (GMCA) and is its eleventh member alongside the leaders of the ten councils (Bolton, Bury, Manchester, Oldham, Rochdale, Salford, Stockport, Tameside, Trafford and Wigan). Key responsibilities include:

• Strategic transport (including the Bee Network of buses and Metrolink trams)

• Policing and crime (as Police and Crime Commissioner)

• Fire and rescue

• Housing and strategic planning

• Adult education and skills

• Aspects of economic development, health commissioning and waste

The post is one of the most powerful directly elected positions outside London and Westminster.

How the election worked

Voting used the supplementary vote system (first and second preferences). If no candidate won more than 50% of first-preference votes, the top two advanced to a second round in which second preferences from eliminated candidates were redistributed.

The candidates

Seven candidates stood:

• Bev Craig (Labour and Co-operative) – Leader of Manchester City Council since 2021 and previous GMCA deputy mayor for economy, business and inclusive growth.

• Sian Astley (Reform UK) – Manchester City councillor and businesswoman.

• Geraldine Coggins (Green Party) – Leader of the Green group on Trafford Council.

• Marlon West (Restore Britain) – Former nurse and campaigner against child sexual exploitation.

• Phil Eckersley (Conservative) – Trafford councillor.

• Richard Kilpatrick (Liberal Democrats).

• Marcus Farmer (Independent).

Key campaign themes included the cost of living, transport fares on the Bee Network, affordable and social housing, town-centre regeneration, policing, and how the region shares the benefits of economic growth.

The result

No candidate reached 50% in the first round, so second preferences were counted.

First-round results (approximate percentages):

• Bev Craig (Labour Co-op): 251,449 votes (47.1%)

• Sian Astley (Reform UK): 111,928 (21.0%)

• Geraldine Coggins (Green): 64,968 (12.2%)

• Marlon West (Restore Britain): 46,289 (8.7%)

• Phil Eckersley (Conservative): 41,021 (7.7%)

• Richard Kilpatrick (Liberal Democrats): 14,702 (2.8%)

• Marcus Farmer (Independent): 2,969 (0.6%)

Final (second-round) result:

• Bev Craig: 309,525 votes (66.3%)

• Sian Astley: 157,178 votes (33.7%)

Craig won first place in every one of the ten boroughs. Turnout was 25.14% (538,659 ballot papers) — the lowest for any Greater Manchester mayoral election so far.

Who is Bev Craig?

Beverley Anne Craig (born 1985 in Belfast) moved to Manchester at 18 to study politics and modern history at the University of Manchester. She worked in local government, higher education and the trade union movement before becoming a Manchester City councillor for Burnage in 2011. She rose to executive member for adult services and health, then deputy leader, and in December 2021 became the first woman and first openly lesbian leader of Manchester City Council. She was made an OBE in 2025 for services to local government.

Her main pledges included freezing or extending low fares on the Bee Network (including free bus travel for more young people), delivering tens of thousands of new council and affordable homes, and a fund to revive high streets and town centres.

Significance

The by-election was the first major electoral test for Labour after Andy Burnham became Prime Minister. Labour held the mayoralty comfortably, though with a reduced first-preference share compared with Burnham’s previous landslides and on markedly lower turnout. Reform UK finished a clear second, while the new Restore Britain party outperformed the Conservatives. Craig becomes the first woman to hold the office of Mayor of Greater Manchester.

She formally takes office after completing the declaration of acceptance of office and will lead the Combined Authority until 2028, working closely with the national government on further devolution.