Voters across Greater Manchester went to the polls on Thursday to elect a new metro mayor to succeed Andy Burnham, who stepped down after becoming Britain's prime minister. The election also serves as an early test of public opinion on the governing Labour Party, whose declining popularity Burnham is now trying to reverse from Downing Street, making the result a significant marker for the party in a region it has long dominated.

Burnham held the mayoralty for nine years, winning three consecutive elections, before quitting to take a parliamentary seat and then succeed Keir Starmer as Labour leader and prime minister on 20 July. Labour's candidate, Manchester City Council leader Bev Craig, is competing against six rivals, including Reform UK's Sian Astley, with Labour also facing pressure from the Green Party after recent electoral setbacks in the region. Polling stations were open from 7am to 10pm, with counting due to begin on Friday morning, and academics say a strong Labour win would provide a symbolic boost for Burnham in his former political base.