Bev Craig Elected Greater Manchester Mayor Amid Historic Low Turnout
Labour secures victory with 66.3% of the vote as Andy Burnham departs for Parliament.
Sarah Connor
Labour's Bev Craig has been elected as the new Mayor of Greater Manchester.
Election results for the Greater Manchester mayoral race arrived late on Friday night, more than 24 hours after polling stations closed across the region.
This mayoral vacancy emerged directly from Andy Burnham's transition to Member of Parliament for Makerfield, leaving a significant void in regional leadership.
Before the vote, speculation mounted that Burnham's potential ascent to Prime Minister risked Labour losing the mayoralty.
Keir Starmer initially blocked Burnham from seeking re-election as mayor, later urging Bev Craig to stand in his place.
Craig now anticipates a 'Burnham bounce,' leveraging Labour's improved national standing to solidify her mandate.
She plans to blend continuity with new policy initiatives, including extending free bus passes for residents.
Craig intends to assert her own leadership, distinctly separate from Burnham's established legacy, demanding greater devolved powers from Westminster.
Her targets include critical areas such as skills development, housing, and revitalizing empty high street businesses, addressing long-standing regional challenges.
Bev Craig stated, "I never believed, as a girl growing up on a council estate, that one day I would have the chance to stand for the place that I love, the place in this world that I'm proud to call home, and to offer my service to make our city region better."
Craig asserts that many people no longer feel the generational belief that hard work leads to a better life for individuals and communities.
She also claims that Westminster's abandonment of Greater Manchester as a deindustrialised city region forced its people to begin a journey of rebuilding.
Meanwhile, Reform UK reported Zack Polanski to the police for sharing an image depicting a guillotine alongside the words 'We’re only making plans for Nigel,' escalating political tensions.
Reform will declare their second-place finish a victory for advancing past the first round.
The Green Party repeatedly claimed throughout the election that the contest was a direct battle between them and Reform, asserting only the Greens could prevent Reform's progress.
Bev Craig received the Order of the British Empire (OBE) in the New Year Honours List in 2025 for her services to local government.
Manchester's children's services earned an "outstanding" rating from inspectors in November 2025.
A multi-million pound plan to revamp Piccadilly Gardens launched in February 2026.