Labour's Bev Craig wins election to succeed Andy Burnham as Manchester Mayor

Labour's Bev Craig wins election to succeed Andy Burnham as Manchester Mayor The new Mayor of Greater Manchester said she was 'honoured' to serve over three million people across the region Don't Miss Most Read Latest Labour's Bev Craig has won the election to succeed Andy Burnham as Mayor of Greater Manchester. Ms Craig wins the seat by a margin of 152,147 over Reform UK's Sian Astley after a count which took nearly 24 hours after polling stations closed to be announced. The first mayoral election under the supplementary vote (SV) system after reforms earlier this year and the first test of Mr Burnham's premiership. Turnout for the by-election was the lowest ever for a Manchester Mayoral election - just 25.14 per cent - with 538,659 votes cast from an electorate of 2,142,779. Under SV, voters mark their ballot papers with a first and second choice. If any candidate wins more than 50 per cent of the first-choice votes, they are declared the winner. But if no candidate has more than 50 per cent of first-choice votes, all but the top two candidates are eliminated and the count moves to a second round. After the first round of calculation, Ms Craig received 251,449 (47.15%) votes and Ms Astley received 111,928 (20.99%). Eliminated in the first round were the Green Party's Geraldine Coggins, with 64,968 votes, Marlon West, Restore Britain - 46,289, Phil Eckersley, Conservative - 41,021, Richard Kilpatrick, Liberal Democrat - 14,702, and Marcus Farmer, Independent - 2,969. In the ultimate second round, Ms Craig earned 309,525 votes to Ms Astley's 157,178. Bev Craig said she would put more money in the pockets of Mancunians in her victory speech |PA Reform UK's candidate Ms Astley said it was a "stonking result" for her party, and said Labour "probably should have done a lot better". Restore, represented by Mr West, the father of a grooming gang victim, is likely to be emboldened by the results, receiving more votes than the Conservatives' candidate. Ms Craig, in her victory speech at Manchester's Co-Op Arena Live, said she would put more money in the pockets of Mancunians, and reiterated her pledge to introduce free buses fares for children between the age of 11 and 18. She said: "To have trust placed in you is an honour. I'm honoured, I'm humbled and I stand ready to serve the three million people that live across this fantastic city region. I will serve every single one of them, every single day." Similar to Mr Burnham, who took his "Makerfield test" to No10, Ms Craig set her own test, as Labour supporters rushed to the front of the stage. "That every single decision I take, as your Mayor of Greater Manchester, will pass the test of making your life better," she said. GREATER MANCHESTER MAYORAL BY-ELECTION - READ MORE: - Labour, Reform and Restore await verdict as polls close in race to replace Andy Burnham - Reform UK announces candidate to replace Andy Burnham as Mayor of Greater Manchester - Race to replace Andy Burnham reaches climax within hours as Reform, Restore and Labour face voters Reform UK's Sian Astley said it was a 'stonking result' for her party |PA She also echoed remarks from Mr Burnham, who won his own Makerfield by-election earlier this year, about "rejecting the politics of hate" in her leadership. "I find fantastic people doing incredible things against the odds every single day, rejecting the politics of hate, but standing with their neighbors, looking out for each other," she said. "The spirit of a place that their neighbors will give their final pined in their pocket to help their struggling friend do the right thing." Talking to GB News after her victory, she said her "resounding victory" gave her the confidence to lead Greater Manchester - as she just missed out on the 50 per cent required to seal win the mayoralty in the first round. "I started this campaign when the only poll in the field showed me on 33 per cent and Reform at 30 per cent," she told The People's Channel. "To be able to hit 47 per cent in the first round and to have the resounding victory that we've had just fills me the confidence, really, that people in Greater Manchester believe that we have been making a great difference and want to see us building on the legacy of what we've created and go even further." PICTURED: Labour supporters cheering as Bev Craig takes to the stage |PA Although Ms Craig won the SV by-election by a margin two times her nearest rival, her per cent share was much lower than Mr Burnham's three previous successes in 2017, 2021 and 2024 - in all of which he won an over 60 per cent vote share. He campaigned with his fellow Labour and Co-operative Party candidate earlier this week, saying that serving as Greater Manchester mayor was an "immense privilege" - adding that she was the only candidate who would be "sure every town, every borough and every person shares in Greater Manchester’s success". Earlier today, Mr Burnham vowed to give regional mayors a greater share of income tax, a boost to the budget Ms Craig is likely to take advantage of, but has been slammed by Conservative Mayor of Tees Valley Lord Houchen, who wanted to offer residents a tax rebate. This is comfortably the largest electorate for any by-election ever held in the UK - but the poor turnout has led to increased calls for compulsory voting - an idea the Prime Minister flirted with earlier this week. Charles White, of the Campaign for Compulsory Voting, said: "The Government has a golden opportunity to introduce Australian-style compulsory voting. Further devolution must go hand in hand with driving up turnout or risk facing a democratic crisis." Vote counts in the first round of tabulation were as follows: Bev Craig, Labour - 251,449 (47.15%) Sian Astley, Reform UK - 111,928 (20.99%) Geraldine Coggins, Green - 64,968 (12.18%) Marlon West, Restore Britain - 46,289 (8.68%) Phil Eckersley, Conservative - 41,021 (7.69%) Richard Kilpatrick, Liberal Democrat - 14,702 (2.76%) Marcus Farmer, Independent - 2,969 (0.56%)