Labour holds Greater Manchester as Bev Craig wins mayoral by-election ahead of Reform

Labour has won the Greater Manchester mayoral by-election, with Bev Craig elected to replace Andy Burnham as mayor. According to the results, Craig took 47% of the vote on the first ballot, almost enough to win outright in the first round. The Reform UK candidate Sian Astley came second with 21% in the first round, while the Green Party candidate Geraldine Coggins took 12%. There was a surprise further down the field, as the Restore Britain candidate Marlon West, from Rupert Lowe's party, beat the Conservative Phil Eckersley by 9% to 8%. The result was described as a comfortable win for Labour, with any fears the party had about losing the poll or being given a fright by Reform UK not materialising. In her victory speech, Bev Craig spoke about how Westminster had walked away from Greater Manchester.

Labour has retained the Greater Manchester mayoralty after a closely watched by-election. According to the results, the party won the contest, with Bev Craig elected to replace Andy Burnham as mayor. The vote was one of the main stories of the morning, and the outcome was presented as a clear success for Labour in a region where the party had faced questions about a possible challenge.

The figures showed a strong lead for the winning candidate in the opening round. According to the reported results, Bev Craig took 47% of the vote on the first ballot, a share described as almost enough to win outright in the first round. That total placed her well ahead of her nearest rivals as the count was broken down by party.

The Reform UK candidate finished in second place in the opening stage. According to the results, Sian Astley of Reform UK secured 21% in the first round, trailing Craig by a substantial margin. The gap between the two candidates was central to how the result was interpreted, given the attention Reform UK had received going into the vote.

Other parties also featured in the first-round breakdown. According to the reported figures, the Green Party candidate Geraldine Coggins took 12% of the vote. There was also a surprise further down the field, as the Restore Britain candidate Marlon West, from Rupert Lowe's party, beat the Conservative candidate Phil Eckersley by 9% to 8%.

The overall picture was framed as a straightforward outcome for Labour. According to the coverage, the result was a comfortable win for the party, and any fears Labour might have had about losing the poll or being given a fright by Reform UK did not materialise. The mood around the result was described as one of relief for Labour after the contest.

The new mayor used her first remarks to set out a message about the region's place in national politics. According to the report, in her victory speech Bev Craig spoke about how Westminster had walked away from Greater Manchester. Her election means she takes over the mayoralty previously held by Andy Burnham, following the by-election held to fill the post.

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