Manchester mayor race LIVE: Bev Craig beats Reform, succeeds Andy Burnham

Labour’s Bev Craig has emerged as the new mayor of Greater Manchester, ending a night of marathon counting that forced the contest into a second‑preference round. The result matters because the mayoralty is about to inherit a suite of new fiscal and policing powers that the former mayor, Andy Burnham, began handing over after his appointment as prime minister.

Craig, the 41‑year‑old leader of Manchester City Council, secured a combined total of 309,525 votes after both first‑preference and second‑preference tallies were added. Reform UK’s Sian Astley trailed with 157,178 votes. With no candidate reaching the 50 % threshold in the opening count, the supplementary voting system required the transfer of second‑choice ballots, a process that stretched well into the early hours.

Media additions

Turnout hovered just above 25 %, with just over 500,000 ballots cast from an electorate of two million. The Electoral Commission’s guidance, cited by Mirror, notes that results are only published once both rounds are complete, explaining the long delay after polling stations closed.

“I never believed as a girl growing up on a council estate that one day I would have a chance to stand for the place that I love,” Craig told supporters from the Co‑op Live arena.

“I will defend this city region with every bone in my body and I will fight for a better life for all of us.”

Bev Craig, mayor‑elect, via Mirror

Andy Burnham’s departure triggered the election. After winning the Makerfield by‑election in June, the Labour MP was forced to relinquish the mayor’s office under the rule that an MP cannot simultaneously hold a metropolitan mayoralty. Burnham had been the city‑region’s first directly elected mayor in 2017 and had been re‑elected twice, most recently with 63 % of the vote in 2024.

Labour had been confident all evening that Craig would at least make the second round. Andrew Western, Labour MP for Stretford and Urmston, told the BBC that the first‑round numbers were “really positive” for Craig. The Green Party’s candidate, Geraldine Coggins, celebrated a “record result” for her party but warned that the second round could be “devastating news for Labour”.

Reform UK entered the contest as the main challenger, with internal polls suggesting it could mount a serious bid. In the end, the second‑preference tally gave Labour nearly double the vote share of Reform, cementing Craig’s win.

The counting marathon was overseen by returning officer Tom Stannard, who urged staff to “focus on accuracy over speed”. After 13 hours of counting, the process was still ongoing in several wards, notably Wigan, which held up the final announcement.

Political analysts attribute the low turnout – the first round saw a 25 % participation rate, down from previous contests – to the summer holiday timing and a perceived lack of excitement among voters, according to Luke Tryl of the research agency More In Common.

Craig’s victory carries immediate implications. The Greater Manchester Combined Authority is set to receive new taxation and spending powers that Burnham announced earlier in the year, intended to empower “forgotten places” across England. As the new mayor, Craig inherits the responsibility of translating those powers into local programmes.

Key dates and events

• June 2026 – Andy Burnham wins the Makerfield by‑election and becomes MP.
• June 2026 – Burnham resigns as Greater Manchester mayor, triggering a by‑election.
• 7 August 2026 – Polling day for the mayoral election; first‑preference votes counted throughout the night.
• 7 August 2026 (late night) – No candidate reaches 50 %; election moves to second‑preference count.
• 8 August 2026 (early hours) – Bev Craig declared winner with 309,525 votes.
• 8 August 2026 – Craig delivers maiden speech, pledging to “defend this city region with every bone in my body”.

What to watch next

• The full second‑round count breakdown as ward‑by‑ward results are published.
• How Craig will operationalise the new regional tax and spend powers announced by Burnham.
• The response of opposition parties, especially Reform UK, to the expanded mayoral authority.
• Potential reshuffle of the Greater Manchester Combined Authority cabinet under Craig’s leadership.
• Implications for the upcoming national budget on 28 October, as Chancellor John Healey prepares his statement.

While the night’s drama has settled, the real work begins. Craig’s pledge to “fight for a better life for all of us” now faces the test of turning newly‑granted powers into tangible improvements for the region’s 2.8 million residents. The coming weeks will reveal whether the momentum from this election translates into the promised uplift for Greater Manchester.