After Burnham's exit, battle begins for Greater Manchester's mayoral crown
A by-election for Greater Manchester mayor is set for July 30, with Labour favouring Bev Craig while the Greens and Reform UK see opportunities to win.
Following Andy Burnham's move to the UK Parliament, a snap election for the Greater Manchester mayor will be held on July 30. Labour has not yet selected a candidate, but Manchester council leader Bev Craig, in office since 2021, is widely seen as the frontrunner. She is considered Burnham's likely successor, but political observers note that she may lack his personal appeal.
The Green Party has already launched its campaign with Trafford councillor Geraldine Coggins as candidate. Party sources argue that without Burnham, Labour will struggle to attract voters, and they are confident of winning using the supplementary vote (SV) system. Under SV, voters choose a first and second preference; if no candidate gets over 50%, second preferences are redistributed between the top two.
Reform UK also sees the election as a chance to bounce back from recent losses. The party has not yet chosen a candidate but is rumoured to field Dan Barker or Sian Astley. Additionally, the far-right Restore Britain party, created by former Reform UK member Rupert Lowe, has selected Marlon West, a campaigner against child sexual exploitation.
