The Greater Manchester mayoral by-election has entered a second round, with Labour's Bev Craig and Reform UK's Sian Astley as the remaining candidates.
Bev Craig was elected mayor of Greater Manchester following the supplementary vote count in a by-election held after Andy Burnham vacated the post; the final result was announced after ballot redistribution at a count staged at Co-op Live in Manchester.
Ultimo aggiornamento: 5 agosto 2026.
The outcome matters because the mayor controls a multi-billion pound budget and powers over housing, health, policing and transport across Greater Manchester, and because the result was seen as an early indicator ahead of the next local elections in May.
The contest attracted attention due to the return of the supplementary vote system and the unusually low voter engagement across a region with over two million eligible electors.
Progression to final two and significance of the SV system
The initial count produced no candidate with a majority of first preferences, leaving the contest between Labour‘s Bev Craig and Reform UK’s Sian Astley.
Under the supplementary vote system, ballots for eliminated candidates were examined for second-choice preferences and redistributed to the remaining two, determining the ultimate winner.
The by-election was triggered when Andy Burnham left the mayoralty after his election as MP for Makerfield. In 2026 Burnham had previously won the mayoral contest in the first round with 67% of first preference votes, a contrast to the tighter multi-candidate field that led to a second stage in this by-election. The SV mechanism favoured Labour in practice, as it tends to capture a greater share of second-choice votes from Green, Liberal Democrats and some Conservative supporters.
Final result and vote totals
The final tally returned Bev Craig as mayor with two-thirds of the vote in the completed count. Craig received 309,525 votes, representing 66.3 percent, while Sian Astley received 157,178 votes, representing 33.7 percent. The count took place at Co-op Live in Manchester where officials completed redistribution of second-choice votes from the eliminated candidates.
Turnout was recorded at 25.14 percent, meaning roughly one in four eligible voters participated in the largest by-election in the region’s history. More than two million people were eligible to vote across Greater Manchester, but low engagement was evident throughout the short campaign period.
Candidates eliminated at first round and political landscape
The five candidates eliminated in the first round were Geraldine Coggins of the Green PartyPhil Eckersley of the ConservativesMarcus Farmer as an IndependentRichard Kilpatrick of the Liberal Democrats and Marlon West of Restore Britain. Their ballots provided the pool of second-choice preferences that were decisive under the SV rules.
Labour’s strategic advantage under the supplementary vote was apparent as Craig consolidated support beyond her first-choice base. The result was interpreted within the region as both an endorsement of continuity with elements of Andy Burnham’s agenda and as a barometer for party strength ahead of the next scheduled local contests.
Craig’s position, priorities and immediate mandate
Bev Craig, leader of Manchester City Council and a senior figure aligned with Andy Burnham, becomes the first female mayor of the city region. She made history previously as the first female and first LGBT leader of Manchester City Council and had served in a deputy role focused on economy, business and inclusive growth.
On her victory, Craig said: “I am honoured, humbled, and ready to serve the three million people that live across this fantastic city region.” She added: “I will be a greater mayor for everyone. We have to move away from divisive politics that try to pit neighbour against neighbour, and we’ll work together.” Craig’s stated priorities include delivering affordable housing targets, retaining the £2 bus cap and expanding homelessness support schemes begun under Burnham.
The mayoral term Craig will serve completes the remainder of the previous term, with the next full mayoral election scheduled within the standard electoral cycle. The result and turnout data will inform party strategies in Greater Manchester ahead of the upcoming local elections.
