Labour candidate Bev Craig has been elected mayor of Greater Manchester, succeeding Andy Burnham following a second-round count.

Labour’s Bev Craig won the Greater Manchester mayoral by-election on Friday, securing the region's top post. The contest, which went to a second round under the city’s supplemental vote system, saw Craig defeat Reform UK’s candidate to succeed former mayor Andy Burnham. Burnham resigned from the position in June to return to Westminster as prime minister.

Election Results and Process

Bev Craig secured the mayoralty with 309,525 votes, while Reform UK’s candidate trailed with 157,178 votes. The Green Party finished in third place. This election marked the first time the supplementary voting system, which allows voters to select first and second preferences, required a second round to determine the winner. Voter turnout was 25 percent, a decline from the 32 percent recorded during the 2024 mayoral election.

Campaign Dynamics and Spending

The campaign period lasted five weeks for an electorate of 2.1 million voters. Labour’s campaign included a high-profile presence, with Craig spending approximately £53,000 on digital advertising across Meta and Google. In contrast, the Reform UK candidate spent £14,000 on digital ads and faced criticism for withdrawing from local media hustings. The Green Party focused on digital outreach, with candidate Geraldine Coggins’ team reporting 4.6 million views on Instagram and 50.7 million ad impressions over the final 30 days.

Future Governance

As mayor, Craig will oversee powers related to transport, policing, and housing. She will work directly with Prime Minister Andy Burnham, who has committed to a devolution package intended to grant more authority to England’s mayors. Following her victory at the Co-Op Live arena, Craig stated she is ready to serve her 3 million constituents.