All eyes on Greater Manchester ahead of mayoral election

Voters across Greater Manchester will head to the polls on Thursday to elect a new mayor for the city region.

It is a very important role – only the prime minister and the mayor of London have more power in English politics.

After Andy Burnham was elected in the Makerfield by-election last month, paving his way to Downing Street, he automatically had to resign as Greater Manchester’s mayor.

Labour’s candidate to replace him is the current leader of Manchester City Council, Bev Craig.

She faces a tougher task in the other nine boroughs. While Labour has often won elections across the city region, the party’s level of support varies.

For instance, at a time when Labour held 95 of 96 council seats on Manchester City Council, eight of the 10 Greater Manchester boroughs voted leave in the 2016 Brexit referendum. This may well give hope to Reform UK, for example.

Craig, who has led the city council since 2021, has filled big shoes before. Her predecessor, Sir Richard Leese, was in charge for more than a quarter of a century, taking in an era including Britpop, the 2002 Commonwealth Games and the soaring city skyscape.

Burnham became the inaugural elected mayor for Greater Manchester in 2017 and was re-elected twice.

Each time Burnham outpolled his party, gaining a majority of votes in all boroughs. In 2017 he even managed to defeat his Conservative opponent – the leader of Trafford Council – in his own backyard.