Bev Craig becomes Greater Manchester’s first female mayor
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Labour’s Bev Craig has been elected Mayor of Greater Manchester, defeating Reform UK candidate Sian Astley to succeed Andy Burnham. The result keeps one of England’s most prominent mayoral posts under Labour control and makes Craig the city-region’s first female mayor.
Craig won 309,525 votes, or 66.3%, while Astley received 157,178 votes, or 33.7%, after a second-round count. She said she was honoured to serve Greater Manchester’s three million residents and pledged to reject divisive politics in favour of cooperation.
- Bev Craig becomes Greater Manchester’s first female mayor
- Labour retained the mayoralty with 66.3% of votes
- Craig succeeds outgoing mayor Andy Burnham
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Greater Manchester is a combined authority made up of 10 boroughs, including Manchester, Salford, Bolton and Stockport. Its elected mayor helps set policy across the area on issues such as transport, housing, policing and economic development.
The role was created in 2017 as part of a wider move to give English regions more control over local decisions. The mayor works with the leaders of the 10 local councils, rather than replacing them.
Andy Burnham, a Labour politician and former cabinet minister, held the post from its creation until this election. Labour and Reform UK are national political parties with different approaches to public services, immigration and the economy.
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The strongest fair case each way — we don't pick a winner.
The case for
Supporters of Labour’s victory may see it as a strong endorsement of experienced local government leadership and of the combined authority’s existing direction after Andy Burnham. A large majority can be read as a mandate for collaborative, region-wide policies on transport, housing, jobs and public services, rather than a sharp political rupture. They may also argue that Labour’s record and organisational strength in Greater Manchester give Bev Craig a practical basis for representing a diverse urban region effectively.
The case against
Supporters of Reform may argue that its challenge nevertheless reflects genuine dissatisfaction with established political institutions and a desire for a more disruptive approach to issues such as immigration, public spending and perceived democratic distance. They may question whether a decisive Labour result in a low-information or party-loyal contest necessarily settles concerns held by voters who feel left behind or unheard. From this perspective, the result could strengthen the case for continued scrutiny of Labour’s local dominance and for a broader range of political voices in Greater Manchester.
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Originally published by Daily Mail as “Labour beats Reform to win Greater Manchester mayoral contest as council leader replaces Andy Burnham”.