Labour has won the Greater Manchester mayoral by-election, with Bev Craig declared the winner more than 24 hours after polling stations closed. Craig, the leader of Manchester City Council, will succeed Andy Burnham and hold one of the most powerful political positions outside Westminster.
The result was announced after a marathon vote count that stretched through the night and into the following day. Candidates, party officials and voters had to wait more than a day after the closing of the polls before the final outcome was confirmed. The victory was decisive, with Craig winning back support in parts of the region that had recently fallen to Reform UK and the Green Party.
Voters across Greater Manchester went to the polls in a contest watched beyond the region because of the political ground at stake. The count began as soon as polling stations closed and continued for more than a day, reflecting both the scale of the ballot and the importance of the result.
A by-election is held when an office becomes vacant between scheduled elections, giving voters the chance to choose a new office holder. This contest gave the people of Greater Manchester the opportunity to decide who should follow Andy Burnham, and the result means Labour keeps the role.
The by-election was a significant test for Labour because Reform UK had made gains in Greater Manchester in May, and the Green Party had also been building support there. Craig’s win means those areas have now returned to Labour, allowing the party to keep hold of a mayoralty it has held under Andy Burnham.
Burnham has been a prominent Labour politician and a leading voice in English regional politics during his time as mayor. The Greater Manchester mayoralty is widely regarded as one of the most influential elected offices in England outside national government, and the result was closely watched as an indicator of Labour’s strength in the North West.
The lengthy process meant that Craig’s victory was confirmed only after a long wait for everyone involved in the contest. The delay highlighted the scale of the operation required to verify and count votes across the region.
For Labour, the outcome is particularly significant because it reverses the recent trend in parts of Greater Manchester. Reform UK and the Greens had made inroads in May, and the by-election result shows those gains can be clawed back. Craig will now take charge of a role that has become a central fixture of English local government.
Craig, who has led Manchester City Council, will take over from Burnham. Her victory demonstrates that Labour can win back voters who switched to Reform UK and the Green Party in May, and gives the party a clear hold on one of the most powerful mayoralties in the country.
