Who is Bev Craig? Meet Andy Burnham’s ‘protégé’ who hopes to succeed him
Bev Craig, the Labour leader of Manchester City Council, is expected to succeed Andy Burnham as mayor of Greater Manchester after he returned to parliament and became prime minister. Her prospective victory matters because it would preserve Labour’s control of a high-profile regional mayoralty while testing whether Burnham’s personal popularity can strengthen the party after recent local-election losses.
Craig, 41, is Belfast-born and has led Manchester City Council since 2021, becoming its first woman and first LGBTQ+ leader. A close collaborator of Burnham on the combined authority’s economy and business work, she has proposed continuity alongside policies including free bus passes for 11- to 16-year-olds; a poll projected her to beat Reform candidate Sian Astley by 65% to 35% in a second round.
- Bev Craig is the favourite to replace Andy Burnham as Greater Manchester mayor.
- Her campaign combines Burnham-style continuity with new transport proposals.
- Labour hopes Burnham’s popularity will offset recent local-election setbacks.