Bev Craig has more than held onto the Manchester Mayoralty after a strong showing in the second round of counting, a result that offers Labour a stabilising presence for the city amid a period of political upheaval elsewhere in the north.
Victory sealed by second preferences
On the first count Craig won 47% of first‑preference votes, narrowly below the threshold needed to avoid transfers. Once second preferences were distributed she surged to 66%, outperforming expectations and securing the post.
- Craig had been the most established figure on the ballot, serving as Manchester city council leader and deputy mayor since 2021.
- The result followed a turbulent spell for Labour in the region, including the loss of traditionally safe seats and the rise of third parties.
- Reform UK and the Green Party were both seen as potential threats prior to the contest; Reform polled strongly in local elections earlier in the year.
What the result means locally
The victory hands Craig control of devolved powers and the funding pots negotiated by her party — responsibilities that will define the mayoralty across areas such as transport, housing and skills. Labour activists had feared that losses elsewhere in Greater Manchester might presage a more damaging swing, but Craig’s performance reflects a level of consolidation that will be welcome to the party nationally and locally.
Analysts had worried that earlier setbacks — notably when the Greens defeated Labour in Gorton and Denton in February and Reform UK’s strong performance in May — might translate into sustained erosion of Labour’s base. That did not materialise in this contest.
“The scale of Bev Craig's victory is pretty remarkable,”
The Reform UK candidate, Sian Astley, polled around 21% on first preferences. Observers noted that Reform’s campaign may have been affected when its national leader, Nigel Farage, chose to stand in a by‑election in Clacton rather than appear on the Manchester campaign trail.
Wider political backdrop
The Green Party’s foothold in the city region, marked by their win in Gorton and Denton earlier in the year, added an element of unpredictability. Labour’s ability to convert first‑preference support into a decisive overall majority in the mayoral contest will be read as a sign that, at least in Manchester, the party’s local machine remains resilient.
| Candidate | First‑preference share | Final share after transfers |
|---|---|---|
| Bev Craig (Labour) | 47% | 66% |
| Sian Astley (Reform UK) | 21% | N/A |
| Green Party | N/A | N/A |
For Manchester residents, the result means continuity in leadership at a time when devolution deals and local services will be under close scrutiny. The new term begins with clear expectations for delivery on the commitments Labour has already negotiated on transport, housing investment and regional economic strategies.
As the city moves forward under Craig’s renewed mandate, attention will turn to how she converts authority into tangible outcomes for neighbourhoods that have experienced political volatility this year.
