Voters across Greater Manchester go to the polls on Thursday in a mayoral election that pits Reform UK candidate Sian Astley against a field of more established rivals. The former DIY SOS presenter, who is standing under the banner of Nigel Farage’s party, faces what observers describe as a significant uphill struggle to win the contest triggered by the departure of Labour incumbent Andy Burnham.
Astley, a relative newcomer to elected politics, has already drawn attention for her controversial remarks. During the campaign she suggested that Green Party supporters should be responsible for housing sex offenders, a comment that provoked swift condemnation from opponents and campaign groups. The remark, which she defended as a provocative way to highlight housing pressures, has sparked debate about the tone of the local contest.
The election comes at a pivotal moment for Greater Manchester, a city-region that has been a flagship for devolution under Burnham’s decade-long leadership. Burnham, a prominent Labour figure who stepped down to seek a different political role or return to national politics, leaves behind a legacy of expanded metro powers and high-profile battles over transport and health. His departure has opened a vacuum that several candidates, including Astley, are trying to fill.
Reform UK, which brands itself as a radical alternative to the Conservatives and Labour, has been making incremental gains in local elections across England, particularly in areas that voted heavily for Brexit in 2016. Greater Manchester, with its mix of urban centres and post-industrial towns, presents a complex electoral map. Astley has focused her campaign on law and order, housing supply, and opposition to what she calls the ‘woke agenda’ in local government.
The candidate’s background in television, as a former star of the BBC’s home improvement show DIY SOS, has given her a degree of name recognition that many local challengers lack. However, analysts note that celebrity status does not automatically translate into political success, especially in a contest dominated by party machines and local ward organisations. The Labour candidate, widely expected to defend the mayoralty, has been campaigning on a platform of continuity and investment in public services.
The Liberal Democrats and the Green Party are also fielding candidates, each hoping to draw votes from disaffected Labour supporters and younger residents concerned about climate change and inequality. Astley’s strategy has been to appeal directly to voters who feel ignored by the main parties, particularly on issues of immigration and housing. Her proposal to house sex offenders in wards that voted Green was seen by many as a deliberate attempt to mobilise that sentiment.
Polls suggest that turnout will be moderate, with many voters unsure of the candidates or distracted by the simultaneous police and crime commissioner elections. The result, due on Friday, will be closely watched as a test of Reform UK’s ability to break through in metropolitan areas beyond its current strongholds in the south and east of England. A strong showing by Astley, even if she loses, could bolster Farage’s claim that his party is a growing force in British politics.
For Astley, the immediate challenge is to convert online attention and headline‑grabbing statements into actual votes. Her campaign manager has said that the party is targeting a second‑place finish in the first‑round count, which would be considered a major upset given the dominance of Labour in the region. Whether the Reform UK candidate can achieve that remains uncertain, but the contest has already highlighted the increasingly fragmented and personalised nature of local politics in post‑Brexit Britain.
